#UM PAST 48 HOURS WERE NOT. FUN

[belovedcherie]

the voices trying to convince me NOT to rewatch lovcom for the 5th time

[berry-hwa]

PART V!!

guess who's backkkkkk after um...4 or so months ahahahahahwhawh ok i have no excuse. just have this chapter and enjoy :3 its pretty underwhelming and short for how long ive been gone with this series but i promise ill try to make up for it!! now go on and have fun reading

"That was really pleasant..."

She was walking down the hall to Eisuke's penthouse, feeling refreshed and relaxed from the small swimming session in the private pool. After their conversation had ended, Eisuke was a lot less annoying, and she actually found herself having quite a good time in the silence. She was leading the way, walking in front of Eisuke with confident and energized strides.

"This is the happiest you've seemed in the past 48 hours, was it that enjoyable?" Eisuke was following suit, his strides nice and slow behind her as he gazed out at the night view each time they passed a window.

"Of course it was. Swimming and living under the water is what I was born to do." She answered and came to a stop in front of the penthouse doors, turning to Eisuke and grabbing the doorknob. "Wow. You're quite slow, huh?"

Eisuke looked at her with an exasperated expression on his face, also approaching the door she stood at. Though, he was unfortunately far too late to enter the penthouse as she promptly opened the door — and swiftly closed it into his face.

She glanced back at the door with a slight giggle, making her way to the staircase to finally get some rest and sleep. She heard his footsteps behind her once again and just knew he was seeing red as she practically raced up the stairs.

"You think you're so funny, do you???" She heard him yell up to her from below, and she just had to stop, if only to get a glimpse at his angered face.

"Oh I'm aware. Thank you for the acknowledgement, Mr. Ichinomiya." She turned back to her path and climbed up the rest of the steps, a little more swift in her movements. She was finally in a good enough mood as she walked back to her room.

This, was just one of many days like such to come.

She went to sleep that night feeling refreshed and energized for the next day, which just so happened to be sunday. The schedule Mr. Kenzaki had given her said that she didn't start her work until the afternoon. She wasn't sure if that's what everyone's schedules were like, or if it was specifically Eisuke's influence, but she was still glad to be able to sleep in after such an exhausting day.

That dream of sleeping in would be crushed the moment she heard knocks at her bedroom door waking her up. She pulled the covers down to look at the door in confusion — and quite a bit of annoyance.

"Pretty Ladyyy~ rise and shineee!" Goodness gracious. That sounded like Baba behind the door. A soon-to-not-be-behind-door Baba, as he opened the door just moments after he spoke.

"Oh, I figured you were sleeping! Good morning." He smiled as he looked inside at her, before just waltzing in. Was he going to keep waking her up like this???

"Baba..." She pulled the covers down even more so to look at the man as he made his way over to the closed curtains. "Do you know what time it is...?"

"Of course!" He grabbed the curtains and swiftly slid them to each side of the window, letting in the morning sunlight which had Mira groaning and hissing as her eyes fought to adjust. "It's currently half past ten!"

"I don't start work until after lunchtime..." She pulled the covers back over her head and grumbled. So much for trying to keep the room as dark as possible.

"Uh huh...well, you're coming with me!"

"Coming with you where...?" She muttered under her blanket, before she felt it being removed from her head and saw Baba standing over her.

"Out in the town, of course!" Even his smile looked too bright at that moment. It was too early for this, surely.

"...Why...?" Mira rubbed at her eyes, not exactly making sense of anything.

"Eisuke realized you didn't have any clothes to wear outside of your uniform...so I convinced him to take you shopping today!"

Oh. Wow. How...generous.

What would be more generous is if they had let her sleep more though!

"But I'm working today..." She grabbed the blanket from Baba's hand and pulled it over her shoulders, turning over with her head in the pillows.

"You don't need to worry about that! Eisuke already arranged a day off for you, so you can enjoy yourself allll you'd like today." Why would he...nevermind. Maybe she shouldn't question that man, ever.

"...Do I have to???" She grumbled again. Just five more minutes would be enough. Maybe she could convince Baba...

"I think Eisuke would get really pissy about it, so it's better if you just come with. Aren't you excited to pick out new clothes?" Maybe there was no convincing him.

"I don't see the point...I plan to louse around in these pajamas and my uniform while I stay here anyway, would Eisuke have a problem with that too?" She looked over at the thief, eyes squinting at him. His smile never left his face.

"If you don't wanna get up yourself, I can help you out." She saw a mischievous look cross his face right before she felt his arms under her knees and her back — which almost immediately had her wide awake.

"No no no! Don't pick me up! I'll get up!" The thief smiled and removed his hands from Mira.

"Great! I'll be waiting downstairs." He turned his heel to leave, pausing before heading out. "Oh! I left your new clothes for today by your bed. Don't forget to wear them, kay?"

She resisted the urge to groan into her pillows as he left the room for her to change.

********

"This is so tiring..."

"Should I carry you on my back?"

"...No, thank you."

After she'd gotten dressed and headed downstairs, she was met with Eisuke and Baba chatting by the door. Well. It was Baba doing most of the chatting with a practically still-asleep Eisuke, but he surprisingly greeted her when he saw her approach them. Right after that she was rushed out of the hotel and into Eisuke's limousine that she was nearly far too uncomfortable using, and they spent the next few minutes of the ride in silence as Baba talked both of their ears off.

Now they had been walking around different shops and malls for three whole hours and Mira's feet were about to kill her off. Never had she walked this much without a break. But no, Eisuke just kept dragging her around in various stores, be it a shoe store, a clothing store or a jewelry store. What did she need any of these for, you may ask? "Because you need to look presentable next to me" as Eisuke said.

"If you're tired, sit down somewhere. Don't slow us down." Eisuke butted in, walking in front of her and Baba.

"Have you considered...I'm tired because of the heels you put me in???" Who the hell walks around on a casual shopping day in 4 inch heels?! She was seriously considering going barefoot or even taking Baba up on his offer to carry her on his back.

"That's not my problem." Oh she was gonna kill him. For sure.

"...If they're bothering you that badly, go in there and get something comfortable." He suddenly stopped and took out his card, turning to her and pointing at a shoe store nearby.

What.

"Huh."

"Boss?" Even Baba seemed surprised.

"What are you gawking at? Don't keep me waiting here."

Well then...alright. She took the card out of Eisuke's hand and bowed in a silent thank you.

"...I didn't think he'd do that!" Baba whispered as they passed by Eisuke. "He actually kinda beat me to it..."

"You would get me comfortable shoes?" She discreetly held onto the thief's arm, slowing down and struggling with each step.

"Of course I would! Beauty is a definite pain, and no woman should have to go through that for the sake of publicity."

"...That's actually quite nice of you to say. Thank you." She looked up at the man who just quietly smiled back at her and helped her inside the store.

She would've been selecting the shoes herself had Baba not forced her to sit down and rest her legs as he looked around for her, occasionally showing her some she might've liked.

"How about these?"

"...Sure, I'll try them on." She rolled her shoulders back and and stretched her body, finally feeling somewhat relaxed.

"You really aren't fit for walking, huh?" Baba chuckled. "I give great massages, by the way."

"Do you now?" She slipped out of the heels and sighed in delight and relief when she felt the plush and comfort of the sneakers.

"These...these are great. Amazing even..." She could fall asleep in the middle of the store, dare she say.

"Yeah? I'll pay for them, you just sit tight."

And they left the store, Mira's legs killing her a little less now as they carried her heels in a bag. The new sneakers were a blessing from the heavens.

"You took exactly 7 minutes and 52 seconds. Not bad." Eisuke placed his phone in his pocket and adjusted his suit as they approached him.

"You were timing us...?" She questioned, watching as Baba handed his card over back to him.

"No. I was just keeping track of time. Now let's continue."

"We're not done???" She nearly gaped as he carelessly walked past the two of them. Just how much time and money did he have to spend?

"I think we're far from done..." Baba let out an exasperated sigh and slipped his arm around her arm. "C'mon, let's not fall behind!"

This was going to be a very long day.

********

After a ridiculous amount of said time, money, Eisuke's judgemental gazes, "No"s, "Not this one"s, "Change"s and other various comments on what she wore and tried on, they finally decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel right around 6PM. Mira felt a little bad as she watched assistants haul everything they(Eisuke) bought up to the penthouse and would've helped them had Eisuke not interrupted her by saying it was their job to do so. More asshole points for him, how lovely.

She was met with a silent penthouse when they arrived, surprised to see just Ota sketching away in a sketchbook.

"Hey Ota! I need to discuss stuff with boss for a sec, I'll join you two later okay? Don't run off!" Baba followed Eisuke up the stairs, hauling all the bags along with him and leaving Mira and Ota all alone.

...

Well. This is a tad awkward.

"...Good evening." She bowed a bit as she approached the lounging area where the artist sat, hardly sparing her a glance.

"Hey." He returned to sketching just like that.

"..."

"..."

Alright. If she had to deal with this at some point, she might as well do it while the opportunity is right there in front of her.

"Ota."

"Hm?"

"I want to have a talk with you." She spoke with a firm tone. She only hoped it wouldn't scare him off this time, too.

"...About what?" His eyes didn't leave the sketchbook. In fact, he seemed to be looking even more intensely now at the page he was drawing on.

"Well. You've been acting weird, specifically around me." She took a seat in one of the chairs, far enough from Ota that she hoped it wouldn't intimidate him. "Are you just not used to having someone new around?...Or is there more to it? To me?"

She saw his hand pause on the page, his body noticably tensing up at the question.

"You're making weird accusations." He huffed and casually continued working in his notebook.

Right. So that's what he's gonna be like, huh.

She'd have to up the ante.

"That's a bold faced lie if I've ever seen one." She relaxed into the chair, her eyes baring holes through the artist as he did his best to avoid eye contact.

"Since when were you a lie detector?"

"Who knows if I am one or not? I know you certainly wouldn't, with the way you've barely spared me a glance."

"Mind reading wouldn't be possible even for mermaids." He sternly replied and Mira saw his pencil digging into the page the longer they conversed. Or, well, the longer she dwelled in the man's presence.

"How would you know that?" He paused again. Hah.

Caught him hook, line and sinker.

"Because- that's an obvious fact." Ota promptly resumed sketching away. At this point she was certain if she took a look at the page he was drawing on, she'd be met with a jumbled mess of scribbles.

This still wasn't working. He was just social distancing from her.

Well, what sort of a mermaid heroine would she be if she just gave up like that? For oceans sake, she's staying at this hotel for a man who bought her from a black market auction and has the potential to save her entire species. Could she have any less resolve?

As tough as nuts may be, they'll all eventually crack under some pressure.

One just needed to be patient and apply that steady, constant pressure to see the results of her hard work.

"To whom is it obvious? For all anyone knows, mermaids could have a sort of technology no human could ever hope to dream of having." She continued, hoping to steal his attention for a little longer. "They could be anything anyone could think of. To some they're goddesses, to some they are monsters...who's to say what's in between those two ends?"

"You talk like you're not a mermaid yourself." He grumbled under his breath.

"That wasn't the answer to my question." She noticed his eyebrow twitch as he willed himself to concentrate on the page in front of him. "Should I repeat it for you?"

"No!" Oh, wow... "I mean...just- be quiet! Can't you see I'm trying to focus?"

And she's finally cracked him.

"...If you wanted to focus, would you be sitting here before me right now?" She leaned forward, rising to her feet and towering over Ota with a fierce, yet an equally neutral gaze as she could muster. His eyes flickered up at her for but a millisecond.

"You knew I was out of the penthouse and would've come around anytime. You also know that the guys might've unexpectadly joined you here sooner or later. Yet you say you're trying to focus, knowing full well that's impossible for you right now."

His eyes finally found hers. She felt him stiffen up again. If she didn't know any better, she might've thought he was afraid of her.

"How many more lies must I have to weasel out of you before I reach the truth?"

[m0srael]

Drunk Texts

For the @drarrymicrofic prompt: Love Letter

One balmy night in June, Harry’s lying in bed wide awake--unable to sleep again--when his mobile lights up on the nightstand. The only people who ever contact him on his mobile are Teddy (“All the cool wizards have them these days, Harry, please get one so I can send you memes!”) and Hermione, and neither of them would be texting this late.

Friday, June 6 2008, 1:27 AM

+445195555555: I’ve been hopelessly in love with you since we were sixteen, won’t shut my bloody mouth about you actually, can I take you on a date? I’m still very rich, all things considered, and know all the best restaurants in Wizarding Britain.

+445195555555: Maybe just a shag, then?

Harry: bloody hell, who is this??

Harry: This number is unlisted, I don’t know how you got it but I’m blocking it now. Kindly, fuck off.

+445195555555: WAIT

+445195555555: What do you mean, who is this? I thought muggle mobiles know who you’re talking to already.

Harry: Not if a strange person is texting in the middle of the bloody night from a number I’ve never seen before!

+445195555555: If you don’t want to date me or shag me just say so, Potter. No need to play hard to get and toss around insults

+445195555555: Unless that’s a thing for you, cheeky ;) ;)

Harry: Last chance, tell me who this is or I’m blocking your number.

+445195555555: Draco

+445195555555: Obviously ;)

Harry: Draco...Malfoy?

Harry: You expect me to believe Draco Malfoy is confessing his love and hitting me up for a shag at 1am. On a *muggle* mobile.

+445195555555: Believe it scarhead, now answer the question do you or do you not want to shag me

Harry: Look, you’ve obviously read one too many Prophet articles…

Harry: Somehow found my number...did you confund someone I know??

Harry: And thought that...pretending to be Draco Malfoy, of all people, would entice me to meet up with a total stranger?

+445195555555: Ooh, the logic of it all, Potter ;)

Harry: Stop doing that

+445195555555: what ;) ;)

Harry: The emojis. Malfoy would never use emojis.

+445195555555: You don’t know what I would or wouldn’t do anymore Potter. Would you like to learn? ;)

Harry: Fuck

Harry: Even if I believed you, I’ve never given Draco Malfoy my number. My *muggle* mobile number.

Harry: I’ve never given him my number because Draco Malfoy would never use a *muggle* mobile.

Harry:...among other reasons

+445195555555: Always so preoccupied with blood purity, Potter, haven’t you learned anything?

+445195555555: And there you go again, assuming that you know what I would and would not do

+445195555555: It really would be much more efficient if you just let me demonstrate

Harry: oh my god

Harry: I can’t believe I’m still messaging you

Harry: ffs, you have one chance to convince me that you’re really Malfoy otherwise I’m blocking you immediately

+445195555555: You are a tetchy one, hm?

+445195555555: Fine. You cornered me in a bathroom in 6th bc you were *obsessed* with me and tried to murder me using sectumsempra (which you claimed not to know the effect of, pft) but only because I tried to Crucio you and I would have died if Snape hadn’t found us and cleaned up your mess (again)

+445195555555: They definitely didn’t print THAT in the Prophet. Unfortunately.

Harry: Bloody hell um...okay…

Harry: Look, about that, Malfoy…

Harry: Wait, unfortunately…??

+445195555555: So you see, Potter, it is in fact I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, confessing my love and “hitting you up for a shag at 1am” as you so elegantly put it.

+445195555555: ;)

Harry: Okay. Malfoy, then. Jesus.

Harry: How exactly did you get my number?

Harry: For that matter, when did you get a mobile?

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I got it from Pansy, who got it from Ginny, you recalcitrant twat

Draco Sodding Malfoy: See, I can do the sexy insults thing, too :*

Draco Sodding Malfoy: And if you must know, Potter, I purchased a mobile years ago to stay in contact with my cousin, Teddy. Teddy Lupin. I think you’re acquainted? The little brat refuses to owl, apparently it’s “sooo medieval”.

Harry: Oh. That...actually makes sense. He said the same thing to me.

Harry: Hang on, Teddy isn’t a brat. I thought you two got on rather well…?

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Whatever, the point is I’m mad for you and I never told you because, well, there was the whole war thing and then the whole trial thing, and since then I’ve become a bit of a self-righteous coward. Also, I fancy myself something of a martyr. I think the constant pouting makes my mouth look more kissable, don’t you?

Draco Sodding Malfoy: We could do the dinner thing if we must, or you can just come round mine I can meet you there right now

Harry: Oh. You’re drunk.

Harry: Never pegged you as the type to get sloshed and text your ex-childhood-nemesis for a hookup

Draco Sodding Malfoy: not with that attitude you haven’t

Harry: Hah

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Not drnk

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Honestly, Potter

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Harry

Harry: weird

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I’ve seen the way you watch me when you think I’m not looking. You look at me like some lovesick teenager. Why deny what *literally everyone* can plainly see?

Harry: I do not look at you like a...lovesick teenager, Malfoy.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Draco ;)

Harry: I do not watch you, DRACO.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I only notice because I’m watching you too, Harry. All the time. I’ve been watching you for as long as I can remember.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: You’ve practically been the center of my universe since I was eleven years old, for Merlin’s sake. I think about you all the time. I miss you all the time, even when we’re in the same room.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I mean I LITERALLY do not shut up about you I wasn’t exaggerating about that. It drives Pansy and Blaise, who have the patience and constitutions of actual saints and who are very, very good friends, absolutely mental and they’d like nothing more than to hex my mouth shut permanently.

Harry: um

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Admit it.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: You’ve wondered what it’d be like.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Imagined it.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Us

Harry: Malfoy…

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Draco

Harry: Draco…

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Yes, Harry? ;)

Harry: I...could do dinner.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: You could “do” dinner? That’s all, after everything I’ve just said, you can “do” dinner??

Harry: For the love of Merlin

Harry: Fine. You’re right, Draco. I...have wondered

Harry: About us, I mean

Harry: Ahh and actually Draco sometimes when I look at you I just want…

Friday, June 6 2008, 2:15 AM

Draco Sodding Malfoy: what

Draco Sodding Malfoy: you want what

Friday, June 6 2008, 2:48 AM

Draco Sodding Malfoy: harry

Friday, June 6 2008, 3:09 AM

Draco Sodding Malfoy: harry, bloody hell

Saturday, June 7 2008, 6:45 AM

Harry: Draco, I’m so sorry

Saturday, June 7 2008, 8:18 AM

Harry: My mobile died and I didn’t have my charger

Saturday, June 7 2008, 9:23 AM

Harry: Draco

Saturday, June 7 2008, 11:47 AM

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Potter, why on earth are you contacting me so early on a Saturday?

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Scratch that, why are you contacting me at all? Where did you get my number?

Harry: Oh, so you were drunk

Draco Sodding Malfoy: How is my present or past level of intoxication any of your concern?

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Oh.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: No.

Harry: Draco, what’s wrong? What happened?

Harry: Draco…?

Harry: I’m sorry, if I said something…

Harry: Look, YOU’RE the one drunk messaging ME at all hours of the night looking for a shag!

Saturday, June 7 2008, 7:08 PM

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Dear Harry,

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I hereby formally apologize for my previous messages. They are inappropriate and entirely out of line, do forgive me. Although it appears that Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson absconded with my mobile yesterday evening to, “have a bit of fun”, I take full responsibility for what has transpired. Do not report me, or something. I do hope you were not too offended. I will henceforth refrain from contacting you by this, or any other, means. I assure you that my traitorous, juvenile, back-stabbing, inconsiderate, so-called friends have been soundly reprimanded. You may expect their formal apologies via owl, posthaste.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Apologetically, Draco L. Malfoy

Harry: Wow, uh, ok. I’ve never gotten a formal apology over text before. Did it take you...8 hours to write that?

Harry: And for the record, I knew something was up. We may not be best mates or anything but I know you wouldn’t use emojis like that.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Oh, bugger off, Potter you had no idea it wasn’t me. You were ready to spill your innermost desires to a stranger on your mobile! Stupid Gryffindor.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: Ah.

Draco Sodding Malfoy: I mean, goodbye! So sorry, again, for the inconvenience! We will never speak again from this moment on!

Harry: Draco, wait

Draco ;): Merlin, what, Potter?

Harry: Harry

Draco ;): No.

Harry: Fine. Look, if you accept full responsibility, does that mean your offer still stands?

Draco ;): What offer?

Draco ;): No. It doesn’t, whatever it is.

Harry: Your offer to take me on a date.

Harry: ;)

Draco ;): Bloody...Potter, that wasn’t MY offer!

Harry: Perhaps not, but I’ve seen the way you watch me when you think I’m not looking...Draco.

Draco ;): Who is this? I’m blocking this number. I’m going to ask Pansy how to block a number.

Harry: Draco, I’m serious.

Saturday, June 7 2008, 9:14 PM

Harry: Draco, I can tell that you didn’t block my number.

Saturday, June 7 2008, 11:47 PM

Harry: Fine.

Harry: Draco, could I take you out for dinner some time? I know someone who knows all the best restaurants in Wizarding Britain.

Draco ;): …..

Harry: ?

Draco ;): If you must

Harry: If I must?

Draco ;): It's true that I'm still rich, all things considered, but you’re paying

Draco ;): ;)

[thatsgay-writes]

Day 16

PREVIOUS

"Here they are, the brave young women whose tale of struggle and survival has gripped the nation." The host says as she sends the camera a smile. "The unsinkable nine, as we have come to know them. Ladies, you must have dreamed of coming home for so long. Now that you're here, what do you wanna do most?" She questions as she turns towards you and your friends. "Honestly, smoke about a hundred cigs, you know? Like, really rip through a carton or two." Dot starts as she leans forwards on the couch. The host gives her a slightly awkward smile, "Okay. How about the rest of you?"

"I don't know; Maybe hit up the OG for a never-ending pasta bowl and just... I don't know... Get back to our real lives." Toni says next followed by Nora. "I'd like to read the Odyssey again, rather than, like, live it." She jokes awkwardly, causing some of the girls to laugh in response. "Leah, what about you?" "Oh, um, I just wanna reconnect with certain people... People who may have been worried and-or felt like we had unfinished business. And if that person is watching right now, I just wanna say that I did not not miss you every day." You cringe at Leah's little monologue, still not feeling 100% about her after her fight with Shelby.

"My turn, Brooke, and I've got a nice, straight answer for you. I'm going to fuck the rowdiest guy with the biggest dick as soon as I fucking can." Fatin says, causing everyone to pause the fantasy you all shared and look at Fatin. Fatin turned to look at you, since you were at the end of the couch, and you couldn't contain your laugh. "Holy shit!" You belt out as you roll onto your side, "I don't think you can say that." You tell her after you finally catch your breathe. Fatin rolls her eyes, "Okay, make it more media-friendly. I am going to fornicate with the healthiest penis I can find ASAP." You let out a laugh at her newly formed answer.

After that, Dot changed her answer and Fatin got on Leah for her "emo shit show" answer and how Romeo's would be in everyone's DM's, before they finally started cheering over the fact that there was a chance to return home. "We're going home, bitches!" Martha yells as she holds up the bottle of vodka, causing all the other girls to cheer. You go to celebrate with them but notice how Shelby stays silent and slowly pulls away from the group. You watch her go, debating if you should follow her, as Toni helps you stand. Her face holds a large smile that slowly falls as she notices how distracted you are and that Shelby was walking away.

Ever since kissing Shelby, Toni had been confused on her feelings between the both of you. She had loved you for years but Shelby just had something so attracting about her. Unknown to her, you were having the same thoughts. "I'll, um... I'll be right back." You say as you pat Toni's hands that were still holding your own after helping you up. Toni just nods her head as you hop away after Shelby.

---

"You don't seem very excited..." You try and joke as you hop around the rock Shelby was sitting on, closing your mouth as soon as you see how sad she looks. You fidget nervously for a few seconds as Shelby doesn't respond to your presence. You let out a deep breathe before sitting down next to Shelby on the rock. "Are you okay?" You ask as you slowly reach out your hand to grabs hers. You move slowly so she has enough time to pull away but she doesn't. When you tangle your fingers with Shelby's, she finally reacts some and turns her head to look at you. She opens and closes her mouth a few times wanting to say something, but ultimately ends up closing it and shaking her head. You let out a sigh but nod your head. You lean forwards and cup one of her cheeks, giving her a quick kiss on the other one. Your face gains a small smile as you notice Shelby blush, "I'll leave you to your thoughts... If you ever need someone to vent to or a shoulder to lean on I'll be here." You tell her as you slowly stand up and start hopping back towards to other girls, missing how Shelby stared after you longingly.

---

As you get closer to the other girls, you smile as you hear them all laughing and joking around. "Oh, Martha, you're gonna be trippin motherfucking balls dude." You hear Fatin say as you finally reach the group and collapse next to Toni. Hopping around was not fun and you were going to need to find a walking stick or something soon. "And she won't be alone." Rachel says as she holds her hand out towards Fatin. Taking what looks to be a bag of gummy bears? You nudge Toni with your shoulder and send her a questioning look. "Martha ate edibles." She whispered to you before turning back to the group and reaching for the bag. You covered your mouth in shock and laughed at the fact that Martha, sweet and innocent Martha, ate edibles. "You want one y/n?" Toni asks as she holds one out towards you. You think about it for a second. Your doctors back at home would probably advise you not to get high but you had been feeling fine the past few days. "Why not." You answer as you take the gummy bear from Toni and pop it into your mouth.

---

"Marcus!?" You hear Martha yell out for the 5th time as almost everyone laid on the beach, high out of their minds. The only ones not laying down were Fatin, who looked like she was meditating, Shelby, who still hadn't returned from the rock, and you, who had taken a seat on Toni's back and kept tracing out random letters and shapes on her back. "I'm so fucking blissed out. Not even from the gummies, just from the thought that in 48 hours I can have an orgasm." Was the first thing Fatin had said in an hour, causing you to giggle and almost fall off of Toni's back. Unlike Toni, who always got more relaxed when she was high, you got more giggly, enthusiastic, and talkative. You being high rivaled Shelby's whole "Who wants to play an ice breaker?" persona.

"Wait? You haven't like self-induced?" Leah asks, seriously but still with a playful tone. "No, I can't do it with my hands actually. I have this weird cello-vibrato PTSD. It's a whole thing." Fatin responds, breezing over the subject. "So your electric toothbrush hasn't seen any action?" Dot asks causing you to laugh more and add on, "I mean we all kind of assumed." You send a wink Fatin's way before turning your attention back to Toni's back, effectively spacing out on the conversation.

When you do focus back onto everyone, it's from Toni tapping your thigh to get you to get up. "Huh?" "C'mon we're gonna go play in the water." Instead of standing up and hopping your way towards the ocean, you just roll of Toni's back and lay on your back in the sand. "I'm good... I think I'm just gonna lie here." Toni gives you a questioning look but you just push her thigh towards the water. "I'll be fineeeee, go have funnnnn." Toni rolls her eyes as you purposefully draw out words and follows the rest of the girls into the water.

You could hear the girls from where you laid, all of them letting out screams and laughs of joy. You would have joined but hopping around on one leg isn't fun and tired you out pretty quickly. You rolled onto your side once the sun felt too hot on your face and you noticed that Shelby hadn't joined in on the fun either. You contemplated going up to her and trying to talk to her or give her more space, but went with the first choice. If she had rejoined the group than maybe she would want some company now.

---

"Not a fan of the water?" You ask as you let yourself collapse next to Shelby, taking note how she now had the bottle of vodka and it had a less in it than it did before. "I... Um..." Shelby stuttered out as she purposefully did not make eye contact with you. "It's fine." You say with a shrug and lay on your side. "No need to talk, just relax." You say as you suddenly get hype fixated on making shapes and letters on her back. Missing the way she tensed up before finally relaxing. You spaced out again from what was going on, a common thing that happened when you were high.

---

The rest of the day blew by as everyone did their own thing. Nora and Rachel went off talked somewhere, you noticed that Toni and Shelby got into a argument, and you just chilled around with Fatin, Dot, and Leah, while Martha decided to adventure into the woods. "Guys! Guys! Guess what I just saw!?" Martha yells as she runs over the hill and back towards the group. "I just saw Marcus and he's alive!" She yells out, out of breath, causing everyone to laugh at how ridiculous she sounded. "No, guys, I'm being serious!" Martha defends and grabs the nearest person to her, Dot, and starts dragging her along. "C'mon, he's in the woods." Dot turns to give the group and exasperated look but you all decide to follow along.

You had your arm wrapped around Toni as you all journeyed through the woods. You had tried to get out of going, but Martha wanted everyone to go with her. "You're just saying that he, like, fucking pinocchio'd?" Dot asks, having not stopped laughing or joking about the situation since you all headed into the woods. "Yes. That is exactly what I am saying." Martha says in relief, missing that fact that Dot was still making fun of her. "He turned into a real boy." She finishes as you and Toni see Marcus... Who is still as fake as he was the day he was found. "I don't know, he kinda looks the same to me." Toni says as you release her arm so she can pick up Marcus. "Hey! My leg!" You say excitedly as you notice it laying under Marcus. When Fatin goes to kiss Marcus, you kiss your leg. It was all fun and games until Leah had to mention the fact that Marcus and your leg had been swept away but suddenly ended up in the middle of the forest. You had thought the same thing but hoped to just ignore that fact. "Leah. We're mellow. We're leaving."

---

"Oh Shelby, you love America so much. USA! USA!" Martha cheers, trying to get Shelby to join her but the other girl is completely zoned out. "Is she okay?" You and Toni ask at the same time. Both of you sharing an awkward look with each other, neither of you had told the other about your own kiss with Shelby. Luckily, Fatin isn't stuck in an unknown love triangle and walks over to Shelby. You all watch as Shelby starts to brush her hair, it seems to stay tangled no matter what she does. Until the brush gets stuck in her hair. Fatin attempts to help her but Shelby goes into full freak out mode. "It's all ruined." She says as she grabs the scissors out of Fatin's bag. Fatin attempts to stop her but Shelby was inconsolable.

"I don't' fucking want it! I don't want it!"

NEXT

[honeymoonjin]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ot7 x reader || ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 9.3k || ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: smut - rated 18+

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:

Sick of unsatisfying hookups, boring relationships or the company of your own hand? Apply today for the chance to be on bangasm.com’s very first reality show! Seven attractive young gentlemen will be vying for your choice of who is best in bed. All from different backgrounds, these men claim they’ll be able to rock your world, so don’t hesitate! Apply now!

Congratulations! You’ve been accepted as the Lady in the first season of The Gentlemen.

<- prev || masterlist || next ->

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: cursing, mentions of explicit sexual content, mentions of blood. the results of the fan favourite vote poll are at the end of this chapter.

banner designer @jamaisjoons​ | thank you sfhs babies i love you 3000

ELIMINATION

On the seventh Day of every Week in the game, Y/n’s elimination vote is released for 48 hours following the post of the fic. Please note, this is NOT the Fan Favourite vote, which has already happened.

Vote closed. Thank you for participating!

DAY FOURTEEN

There’s something exciting and indulgent about sitting apart from Taehyung and Jimin, yet sharing secret glances and muffled smiles.

You’d had to leave Taehyung’s room at different times, you and Jimin sneaking back to your respective rooms to change out of his clothes so it didn’t look odd.

As the eight of you gather in the lounge, sleepily curled up with mugs of coffee or lying back against the couch for a few more moments of peace, the familiar faces of the others send a pang of guilt through you. Like you were lying to them. Omission is a type of lie, you suppose, but you try and smother the feeling. You’re allowed to be selfish.

Especially when it made Taehyung and Jimin look so happy.

Taehyung, who was almost always cheerful much like the puppy you saw last night, now looks like he can’t even contain it, his toes wiggling and eyes gleaming. Jimin, who on the other hand tended to be a little stiff and wary during these meetings, seemed more at ease than he’s ever been in front of everyone.

Could the others really blame you for wanting to see them happy?

You bite down hard on your tongue as Sejin arrives, the final piece in the puzzle. Maybe they could. You count your lucky blessings you don’t have to pick a favourite as well as someone to eliminate. Staying objective and making a decision tomorrow would be hard enough.

“Are we all ready?” Sejin checks, consulting with his watch to ensure it was in fact nine on the dot.

Catching everyone off guard, it’s Jungkook that speaks up, sitting beside you with crossed legs. “Ready, PD!”

The rest of you go still for a moment of surprised silence. When was the last time Jungkook had sounded that chipper? You’d found it strange when, being only the third one downstairs after you and Jin, Jungkook had neglected the last empty couch in favour of sitting beside you. Still half asleep, he’d exchanged pleasantries and basically face-planted into a cup of hot chocolate, inhaling the steam like his life depended on it.

Now, though, he seems more alert than most of you, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as he waited for the meeting to start.

As you glance around, everyone seems equally shocked and relieved, except Jin, who just smiles quietly. You send the eldest a questioning gaze, but he just shrugs.

“Alright, today we just need to cover the prompts, Y/n’s Bangasm Bomb, and then we’ll finish off with the audience vote for fan favourite. Sound good?”

At the mention of fan favourite, Jungkook straightens up, knee jiggling. Your heart goes out to him. Not only had he had a rough time lately, but he put so much effort in to his prompt, and you can’t help but hope he gets it. He could use some cheering up, though he seemed cheerful again all on his own. “I’ll cross my fingers for you, Doctor Jeon,” you promise with a soft smile.

He glances back at you, eyes glittering. “You will?”

“Of course.” Out of the corner of your vision, you feel two sets of eyes on you. “You did well.”

He wrings his hands, gaze dropping. “I wasn’t even top three last week.”

You shrug lightly. “Then you’ll be most improved.”

When he grins, teeth poking out cutely, your shoulders drop in relief. “If I win, I’ll take you somewhere really fun, I promise!”

“Alright,” Sejin cuts in, breaking off your conversation, “our theme was dynamics and roleplay. Just like with last week, we’ll go through each of the guys and get Y/n to guess. Should be pretty easy. And we’ll see if anyone will be taking over the bunkrooms. Namjoon and Hoseok, you’ll be returning to your rooms tonight unless you failed your prompt again.”

Namjoon and Hoseok, squished up on either side of Taehyung, lean over him to high-five after the older one cheers.

“I’ll miss it,” Hoseok confesses, “but I missed my own bed even more. Namjoon; you’re welcome for a sleepover anytime.”

“A sleepover sounds fun,” Taehyung answers quietly, but Hoseok trills and cups his cheeks, inviting him too.

Across the other side, to the left of Jin and Yoongi, Jimin stiffens and instinctively sends you a look of uncertainty. Your lips part, but of course you can’t say anything in front of everyone.

Instead, you give a minute shrug and lean back. Taehyung had already spent the past two weeks being relatively free with his affections, and it seems unfair to get upset by it now. Especially when you were still having sex with other people.

Like a bucket of cold water down your back, the decision you made last night comes into clarity. You couldn’t go out on dates. You couldn’t really kiss or hold hands in front of the others lest they find out. And you couldn’t even be faithful to them. What exactly made declaring your feelings and choosing to be together any different from how you were before?

Before you get too deep into your thoughts, you notice the room has gone silent, everyone staring at you. “Hm? Sorry?”

Sejin’s pointing to Jin expectantly. “Could you state your guess for what Seokjin’s prompt was, Y/n?”

Jin’s face is weirdly unreadable, eyes not really focusing on yours. You struggle to process enough to recall the answer. “Um, poolboy.”

Jin remains silent, making Sejin cough awkwardly. “Yes, poolboy and client was his prompt. Congratulations, Seokjin, you didn’t explicitly tell Y/n your prompt and successfully completed it.”

On the other side of the room, Taehyung’s eyes fly wide, before his shoulders slump, blushing as Hoseok quietly teases him.

“Yoongi?”

You clear your throat, feeling weirdly strung-out, like your attention is in a million places at once. Get through the meeting, then you can chat with Min and Tae. Just stay focussed. “Yoongi was, like, an animal?”

“Predator and prey,” Yoongi explains smoothly, finally starting to look a little less zombie-like. “And I made sure we were in view of the cameras outside. The ones by the gazebo.”

Sejin nods, choosing to sit on the coffee table instead of just standing in front of you all. “Right. Congratulations, Yoongi, you also successfully completed your prompt within the rules. Jimin’s one?”

You’re pretty sure every person in this room could guess his without a second thought. “Stripper.”

Jimin blows you a teasing kiss with a wink, and you try not to look too endeared, heart leaping at the soft look that hides behind his flirty act. “I hope you all enjoyed the show.”

Beside you, Jungkook goes oddly stiff, face falling. But before you can ask him about it, he’s taking a deep breath and putting on a smile again, albeit a smaller one. You frown as Sejin congratulates Jimin before turning to your couch and indicating it’s Jungkook’s turn.

“Doctor and patient,” you hear yourself answer easily, but you find yourself still worried about him, remembering what he said about Jimin yesterday. Maybe he wasn’t as cheery as he was making himself seem today.

A similar look of worry flickers across Jimin’s face at Jungkook’s odd response, and you decide that once the meeting is done, you’ll ask Jungkook about it. Maybe get him to talk to you privately, or everyone so you’re all on the same page. Anything so that you can resolve the strange upset Jungkook seems to have.

“...his prompt. Now, Namjoon?”

“Husband and wife,” you offer up reflexively, grateful of the warm albeit shy smile Namjoon sends you in response.

“Now, Namjoon and Y/n, I’m aware you spent a significant amount of time together in the rec room. Of course, you can retain your privacy, but I do need to ask if Namjoon explicitly told Y/n his prompt in there.”

Looking like a teacher’s pet being told off, Namjoon’s eyes go wide. “I didn’t!”

Sejin lets out a quick laugh, holding a calming hand up. “That’s fine, that’s all I needed. Congratulations, Namjoon, you’re out of the bunkrooms.”

Taehyung looks nervous when Sejin’s stare rests on him. His eyes keep darting around to the other men like he’s waiting for their reactions. When Sejin asks you to guess the prompt, you hesitate. Something about how uncomfortable he looks gives you pause. “She doesn’t have to guess,” Taehyung offers up, “and you don’t have to say it. I already know I lost.”

Sejin gives him a look of sympathy. “The editing team did catch you telling Y/n directly which means you’ll have to stay in the bunks for next week, but unfortunately the nature of these meetings does require each prompt to be revealed to the group.”

You can see the puppy behind Taehyung’s eyes as he rounds them, pouting up at Sejin. “Really?”

“We don’t have to give details,” Sejin offers up shortly. “And none of these prompts will ever be things anyone has on their hard limits list, so please don’t think anyone hear will be in any position to judge it.”

This seems to ease Taehyung’s worry significantly. “Pet and owner,” Taehyung offers up shortly. “And I lost because I told Y/n. Time for Hoseok.”

Even as your heart aches to jump up and go to him, Jimin also shifting in his seat restlessly, you see Hoseok quietly wrap a hand around Taehyung’s elbow and Namjoon rest his head tentatively on Tae’s shoulder. You settle back, forcing yourself to remember you and Jimin aren’t the only ones that care for Taehyung.

Sejin clears his throat and gestures to Hoseok. “Lucky last, I suppose. What’s your guess, Y/n?”

You think back to Monday night. Hoseok teasing you throughout the day and then tying you up at night in the prettiest ropes, feeling entirely under his control. You’d called him Master. “Master and sss….sub?”

Hoseok smiles sweetly, his voice honeyed. “Almost. You and Jungkook were my pretty little slaves, princess.”

In perfect synchronisation, the others turn their heads around to you and Jungkook, sharing a couch. “I remember now,” you state weakly as Jungkook shifts on his spot.

Sejin looks distinctly uncomfortable with the sudden turn, wincing at Hoseok. “Well, congratulations because you also successfully completed your prompt. Anyways, that’s that done, time for the Bangasm Bomb. As you all probably recall,” Sejin explains, sliding off his glasses and wiping the lenses with his shirt as he goes, “the requirement was that Y/n had to stay in a different bed every night otherwise she’d be in the bunkroom. Luckily, she managed to do so, so Taehyung is the only one required to stay there.”

Taehyung shrinks, bottom lip sticking out in disappointment and Jimin watches him, stricken. Against your better judgement, you call out to Sejin. “But are we able to voluntarily go there?”

Sejin shrugs. “Sure, you already did so once this week. No rules against it.”

Jimin brightens up, but before he can say anything, Hoseok’s cheering, jostling Tae’s side. “Guess the sleepover will be back in the bunkroom, Tae!” Across the side of the room, Jimin visibly holds back his irritation.

“Can we do the audience favourite now?” Jungkook pipes up in a hopeful voice.

“Oh, of course.” Sejin fumbles to slide his glasses back on, lenses still smudged at the bottom, and clears his throat dramatically. “Alright, so I’ll just say the top three again. Third place this week was Namjoon.”

Namjoon’s eyes widen comically as he croaks out a, “Really?”

“Ah, I’m so proud,” Hoseok croons, reaching across Taehyung to pat Namjoon’s knee enthusiastically. “Young grasshopper learnt well.”

Namjoon still seems in disbelief, letting out a stilted laugh. “Wow, I- Goodness, that’s so nice of them!”

Beside you, Jungkook’s practically vibrating with nervous energy. He wasn’t even in the top three last time, and you can tell he’s feeling the pressure. Yoongi seems unbothered, even as his eyes keenly focus on Sejin; Jin waits patiently, not looking like he’s expecting anything. Jimin’s more focused on Taehyung than the announcement, his eyes locked onto the boy that’s sandwiched between Namjoon and Hoseok as they celebrate. Hoseok looks relatively uncaring about the favourite, lips still spread in a heart-shaped grin at Namjoon’s victory like it’s his own.

“Second place,” Sejin continues, “was Jungkook.”

You hear and feel his reaction rather than see it. Hear the exhale as he sinks, a mix of relief and disappointment making his frame go lax on the couch. Leaning over, you send him a warm smile. “Good job, Kook, you did really well.”

“Who’s number one?” he asks instead, leaning forward with his legs tucked up under him.

Sejin gives a small smile. “The highest number of votes this week went to Yoongi.”

“Yoongi-hyung?” Jungkook questions quietly, but it’s drowned out by Hoseok’s excited woop and chirpy laughter as Yoongi’s mouth drops open, doing a double take at the news.

“Are you serious?” Yoongi exclaims, a disbelieving grin spreading across his face as Jin rubs his shoulders and Jimin congratulates him lowly. “Holy shit, who would’ve guessed?” His eyes find you suddenly, brightening with realisation. “I get to take you out tonight,” he declares.

A shock of thrill runs through you at all the possibilities of some private time with the enigmatic doctor, but you can’t help but glance over, wary of Tae and Jimin’s reactions. Though Jimin just looks a little stiff, Taehyung’s eyes are on you, sullen. Rather than jealous, it seems more like he’s disappointed he couldn’t be the one to take you out. It’s a relief he isn’t mad, but it only increases the unsettled feeling in your heart. You, Taehyung and Jimin sorely needed to talk.

“Well, then,” Sejin interrupts, breaking you out of your daze, “that’s your Sunday meeting, I’ll see you all back here tomorrow for elimination.”

Like clockwork, the seven guys turn their heads to look at you, even as Sejin bids you farewell and leaves out the front door.

“Do you know who you’re voting out?” Jin asks with a complete lack of tact, an easy smile hiding the concern in his eyes.

You cough awkwardly. “I have no clue,” you answer honestly. “I’m just… trying not to think about it until I really have to, you know? I still don’t want to vote out any of you.”

“That reminds me,” Jin speaks up, though he states it awkwardly, almost sounding rehearsed, “I think we all need to have a group talk. Set some things straight.”

Jungkook recoils like the comment was directed at him, letting out a light huff. “Can’t this wait?”

Yoongi grimaces. “With all due respect, Jungkookie, I think it would be best to just have a chat now and sort this out. If the therapist thinks we need to talk, he’s probably right.”

“It’s not like it’s urgent,” the youngest rebutts, “let’s just do it some other time.”

Jin sucks in a breath. “We’re all sitting here now, Jungkook, and clearing the air. Unless you want to go back to feeling uncomfortable.”

Jungkook’s eyes cast towards the ceiling like he can’t believe he’s stuck here. “Oh my god! I already spoke to you, just pass it on!”

“You know I can’t do that, Jungkook,” Jin says calmly, even as his eyes flare in ire. “We want you to be happy, and I’m sure you’re not the only one that has been struggling, and if we-”

“If you want me to be happy, fucking let me leave, Jesus,” Jungkook swears, and you flinch when he suddenly stands, rushing away quickly. “I’ll come back when I’m done.”

“Done?” Jin asks, looking completely lost. “Goodness, that kid gets angry at everything these days.”

“A talk does sound really helpful, Jin-hyung,” Namjoon offers up. “If you want, we can hang around and wait for Jungkook.”

Jin lets out a light sigh, smiling gratefully. “I figure it’ll be good for us. Hopefully. I just worry about everyone, you know? Just because this is a reality show doesn’t mean we need to be always fighting and throwing drinks in people’s faces and stuff. We need to communicate like adults.”

Yoongi frowns. “You don’t need to take all that burden on yourself, hyung. I’m sure they didn’t teach you to handle this kind of situation in your training.”

Jin goes to reply, but the moment his mouth opens, words are cut off by a dual ding, two phones going off.

You glance over to where Taehyung and Namjoon both instinctively check their phones, faces falling almost simultaneously.

“Oh,” Taehyung says shortly, face falling. “I should’ve remembered.”

“What is it?” Jin asks with knitted brows.

“It’s his stream,” Namjoon explains guiltily, “he normally begins it earlier than this, so he was probably trying to leave so he could start.”

“Why didn’t he just-?” Jin exhales roughly, Yoongi’s hand falling to his shoulder to anchor him. “Whatever. He’s angry now, I guess, let’s just wait for him to finish and once he goes offline someone can text him and ask him to come down. Is everyone fine with that?”

Although no one protests, the air is significantly stiff with tension; Yoongi makes another round of coffees, Taehyung opens the stream and watches it with the volume turned muted, biting at his fingernail. It feels like such a departure from the same time last week, and being tuned in just feels even more invasive than last time.

“The people in the comments aren’t happy about him being late,” Taehyung notes nervously. “He looks upset.”

“I don’t think you should be watching,” Namjoon admits, shifting in his seat as he tries to avoid looking at the screen. “Doesn’t it feel strange to you?”

“I’m just making sure he’s okay,” Taehyung insists hollowly, eyes locked onto it. “He’s trying to touch himself but he’s not getting ha-”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Yoongi spits harshly, returning with four cups of coffee balanced precariously in his grip. “Watch it if you want, but respect that we’re choosing not to.”

Taehyung frowns, but doesn’t protest, returning silently to the screen. Alone on your couch, you take a cup of coffee from Yoongi’s outstretched hands and cradle the cup, feeling the warmth seep into your bones, your heart still as cold as if it were frozen in ice.

True to Yoongi’s command, Taehyung stays silent as he watches, and the entire room sits in uncomfortable quiet until, what can only be fifteen or twenty minutes later, Taehyung lets out a defeated sigh and locks his phone, setting it on the arm of the couch.

The implication is clear, and Jin sets his jaw, looking determined albeit regretful. “Okay, can someone text Jungkook? Let’s get this over with. Just remember it’s for the best.”

Though it seems like even Jin himself is unsure of that, everyone waiting in dread as Taehyung sends him a text, and he comes down the stairs a few minutes later, cheeks flexed with irritation.

You fight the urge to reach out to him when he collapses onto the couch beside you, hair messy but clean and in the same casual clothes as earlier. He seems restless and volatile, and you can’t help but wish the lot of you weren’t having this talk now, or wish you could just jump forward in time to when everyone was happy and alright again.

“Go on, then,” Jungkook starts, snapping the silence. His arms are crossed tightly and eyes piercing as they glare at Jin. “Start the group therapy.”

Though he’s been silent for a while now, Jimin lets out a tired groan. “Fucking hell, Jungkook, he’s trying to help you! Seeing you be upset makes us feel terrible.”

Jungkook stiffens, and you can just about feel the heat radiating off his body as he fires up. “Oh, I’m sorry, next time I’ll just be miserable in private!”

Jin looks stricken, rubbing at his temple. “Jungkook, you said you were going to try and seek out the things that made you happy.”

“And you said you weren’t going to reveal what I said to you in confidence,” Jungkook replies shortly, but before Jin can protest, he’s continuing, voice strained. “But- I do want to try and make things better. I’m sorry; I’m really stressed out and it’s frustrating not being able to leave this place. I thought if I got fan favourite I’d at least get a break.”

The rest of you fall silent for a moment. Your eyes sting, so you blink to ease the ache. “We understand. We want you to be happy. Can we all agree to try our best to just stay chill and talk this through?”

As the others nod, Jungkook scoots back like he’s trying to bury himself into the corner of the couch. “But talk what through? Do you not realise how shitty it feels having all of you sitting me down for an intervention right now? I don’t know whether to be offended or humiliated.”

Taehyung’s face crumples violently, like he’s about to cry. Hoseok, unusually solemn, clears his throat lightly as he pats Tae’s back. “JK, it’s not all of us gathering to dunk on you. I for one know that there are things I’d like to get off my chest. Things that bother me and stuff. I think if we all just front up to what we’re struggling with then we can work through these issues together. But it’s gotta be all of us. If we want to be happy here.”

Jin sends Hoseok a grateful look, sitting back in his seat when Jungkook begins nodding. “I can do that,” Jungkook agrees in a small voice. “Just… someone else can start.”

The concept of owning up about your feelings is clearly as paralysing to the others as it is to you. Everyone falls silent, looking around at each other’s faces and waiting for someone else to speak up. A thread of worry niggles in the back of your brain that Taehyung or Jimin would confess your closeness, bursting the bubble that was already so fragile.

In the end, it’s Yoongi that chooses to go first, heaving a great sigh to brace himself. “If I’m perfectly honest,” Yoongi admits, “I’m a little concerned that we’re going to be cornered into conflict no matter how much we avoid it. As nice as the producers are-” he pauses to glare at one of the cameras filming the interaction with an ‘I’m watching you’ gesture, “this is a reality show and reality shows are founded on drama. And look how much effort it took to get us to sit down and actually talk to each other? It would’ve been easier in some respects to just get angry and hateful and fight every other day, and I don’t think everyone is as aware of that as hyung and I are.”

Jungkook swallows. “I do worry about that, too,” he reveals. “I mean, not in the same way, but… If we wanted to, we could just all hate each other and only interact when we had to and then never speak again when we all leave. Which is weird because for now, we can’t go anywhere. We’re all gonna be really close and then we’ll just go our separate ways. And I don’t know what to do about it… If that makes sense.”

“But you did that exact same thing to us,” Jimin protests. “If you’re scared of us all acting like strangers then why push us away?”

Jungkook frowns stiffly. “That’s what you did at the start!”

“And it sucked,” Jimin retorts immediately. “It felt awful seeing everyone socialise and feeling like I had to stay out of it to protect myself. That’s why I’m not acting like a dick anymore.”

“Well, that’s up for debate,” Hoseok quips with a scoff.

Jimin sends him a withering glare, but Jungkook pays no mind to Hoseok’s remark, eyes still on the blue-haired man. “Everyone else was ignoring me anyway!” His voice is brittle, powered only by his frustration, and it feels like a pot ready to boil over. “Yoongi and Jin always do their own thing in the kitchen and never like me helping out, Namjoon and Hoseok have their whole teacher-student thing going on, and the only people my age are so up each other’s asses that they don’t even look at me half the time! Y/n has six other guys to sleep with so it’s not like I can even hang out with her that much. Everyone’s paired up and left me out of it but you all act like you haven’t. And then it’s all, ‘oh, why is Jungkook all grouchy?’ like I’m just making your lives difficult or something.”

Jimin winces. “We never tried to-”

“It doesn’t matter if you didn’t try to, you did! You and Tae fucking drool over each other all day long and even when I try and- and- talk to either of you, it’s clear that you’re just thinking about the other person.” Jungkook stands suddenly, whirling around to face Taehyung. “I thought that day in the confessional shed, Tae, when you said it wasn’t just Y/n… I thought you were talking about me. I thought we were having a moment, you know, and then it turns out it was just Jimin. It’s always Jimin.”

“Come on, that’s not fair,” Jimin cuts in, “he can’t help his feelings.”

Taehyung sends Jimin a confused look hastily before turning back to Jungkook. “Kookie, I���m really sorry. I don’t want to exclude you anymore. I’ll do better.”

“You shouldn’t have to apologise, Tae,” Jin pipes up tiredly, and a strangled cry comes from Jungkook’s throat, the boy almost hysterical.

“Why do you want so badly for no one to be on my side, Seokjin?”

“God, it isn’t about that-”

Jungkook seems borderline hysterical, bottom lip trembling violently as he points at the eldest. “Well, what is it about? You act so fucking high and mighty, Jin, yet you’re in the same fucking situation as me.”

Your eyes widen as Jungkook turns to you, knees almost bumping yours with how close he’s standing. Behind him, Jin makes a low noise of warning. “Don’t, Jungkook…”

Jungkook’s eyes are wild, two points of red on his cheeks. “Jin has feelings for you but he won’t say anything because he thinks you just see it as sex. And he has the fucking audacity to try and give me advice on my feelings for-”

“Jeon Jungkook!” Jin bellows, standing too. Beside him, Yoongi tugs at his wrist, but the eldest shakes it off. “You have no right to-”

You’ve had enough of sitting silently, wincing at Jin’s volume, the therapist so far from the pillar of emotional stability he usually was. “Just let him get it out, Jin, he’s frustrated.”

Jungkook scoffs even as Jin shakes his head in disapproval. “Are you serious?” Jungkook asks you incredulously. “I tell you Jin has feelings for you and you’re still trying to suck up to me?”

You reel back, brows knitted. “I’m defending you, Jungkook.”

“I don’t want you to fucking defend me, Y/n, I’ve had enough of you leading everyone on and then not returning anything. You have all the power here and you just toy with us and act all innocent.”

“What are you talking about?” you cry, throat aching with the effort it takes to keep your voice steady.

Jungkook’s eyes gleam, unshed tears reflecting the light. “Jin-hyung tries to be romantic and you tell him it’s just a scene to you, instead of just doing Namjoon’s prompt you take his virginity like it’s a 90s romcom, making it “special” for him. You want every one of us to fall for you so that you can get fawned over by seven hot guys, but you aren’t willing to take any of the responsibility that comes with it. You act like things are so hard for you having to choose, but you’re breaking our fucking hearts doing it!”

You open your mouth to retort, but a crashing wave of guilt overtakes you, and your cheeks are wet before you even realise you’re crying. Intentional or not, you rue all the times you complained about elimination, knowing that the guys must have been feeling so much worse. “I’m so sorry, Kook,” you make out, covering your nose and mouth with a hand to try and contain yourself.

From the other side of the room, it’s Namjoon that speaks up next, voice flat and reserved. It’s a stark contrast to the fire in Jungkook’s voice, but he looks no less affected by everything. “That’s not fair at all,” he says shortly, “Y/n isn’t in charge of our feelings any more than we are, and you don’t have any right to judge her for what I chose. I was the one who wanted my first time to be special, Kook.”

Namjoon’s low volume seems to influence Jungkook, taking his noise level down a notch. The words just hurt more. “Maybe you shouldn’t be here then, Namjoon. This isn’t where you come to have your cherry popped by a nice, young lady you can bring home to your parents.”

“Oh, my god,” Hoseok exclaims with a groan, “are we seriously just complaining about everyone now? Is that what this is? Good going, Jin, really fucking helpful.”

A whirl of dread rushes through you as the anger continues to flit around the room in an ugly cloud, everyone having a bone to pick with each other. Jin makes a noise of outrage, hissing back at Hoseok when he speaks. “I don’t see you coming up with any suggestions. Do any of you have any fucking idea how hard it is to have everyone expecting you to magically solve their problems and shoulder their burdens and not a single one of them gives a shit about you?”

“That isn’t true,” you protest, immediately regretting drawing attention back to yourself.

Jin scoffs. “You haven’t said a fucking thing since finding out I have feelings for you. Wait, no; you haven’t said a fucking thing since I got upset with you on Tuesday. Did you really never think to ask even once how I was doing?”

Your excuse feels flat even before you say it. “I was waiting for you to-”

“Ding ding ding, we have a winner!” he sings sarcastically. “Everybody waits for me to solve things and then complains when it’s not helpful enough,” Jin spits, glaring at Hoseok with the last few words.

A shuddering sob cuts into the silence that follow his words, and in unison you all turn to Taehyung, who has his face buried in Hoseok’s shoulder, Namjoon rubbing his back as his shoulders heave.

Jimin sucks in a sharp breath at the sight, body twitching as he fights the urge to rush over, and instead raises his voice to address the room. “Alright; show’s over. This isn’t solving anything.”

“Why should you decide?” Jungkook cuts in immediately. “I’m miserable and you don’t care, Jin’s miserable and you don’t care, but the second it’s Taehyung…!”

Jimin rolls his eyes, leaning back in his seat. “Why are you so bothered by it?”

Jungkook lets out a cry of frustration that sounds closer to a sob. “Because you’re taking him away from me! I can’t compete with you! Everybody’s obsessed with you, everybody wants your approval and you just drink it up, you narcissistic, selfish piece of shit!”

Around the room, everyone sucks in a wary breath, but Jimin’s already standing, features sharpened in anger. “Why are you acting like it’s my fault he has feelings for me? Maybe he doesn’t like you because you’re a whiny fucking brat who takes everything personally.”

“That isn’t true,” Taehyung hiccups out, “Jungkookie’s nice, Min. And you’re not selfish.”

Though the tension in the room just keeps rising and rising, you can see, behind Jimin’s standing figure, Yoongi sitting stiffly on the couch. He keeps glaring at the cameras expectantly, with one hand clutching his phone and the other latched onto Jin’s wrist, keeping him from interfering further. The two exchange words quietly, shaking their heads in disapproval.

On the more emotional side of the room, Hoseok holds Taehyung closely, soothing him as Namjoon looks up hesitantly at the others. “I really think we should stop, guys…”

“Let’s all take a chill pill,” Hoseok quips as Taehyung’s tears stain his shirt.

Jimin lets out a noise of disgust. “Oh, shut the fuck up, Hoseok.”

“Is no one gonna stop this?” Namjoon asks hesitantly, glancing up at the cameras.

“What did I say?” Yoongi retorts rhetorically. “They aren’t going to interfere. They know this drama gives their show more views.”

“Good for Jimin,” Jungkook states petulantly, “the more views he gets, the better he feels.”

“Coming from you,” Jimin says over the sound of Yoongi clicking his tongue in exasperation. “Maybe the reason you hate me so much is because you and I are the exact same, Jungkook, I just do it better.”

“Again with your superiority complex,” Jungkook huffs. “How long until everyone here gets sick of you, Jimin? How long until the novelty wears off and you’re left alone on your high horse again, huh?”

Jimin flinches like he’s been hit, but takes an accusing step closer to Jungkook. Around them, everyone shrinks back in their seats, Hoseok shielding Taehyung’s ears and Yoongi and Jin with a phone sandwiched between their cheeks as they make a call. Namjoon’s begun to cry, too, but he hides his running nose with a sleeve, eyes wide and shining as they watch Jimin and Jungkook square off.

The two of them are a few steps apart, now, not even the coffee table dividing them. Jimin, although physically smaller than Jungkook, appears to tower over the other as his face darkens. “At least I’m good at my job, Jungkook. Why did you come down so soon? Blow your load too quickly like an amateur?” When it doesn’t gain any more reaction than Jungkook’s face twitching in annoyance, Jimin grins wickedly. “Or could baby not even get it up, huh? Take your dick away, you’re not much of anything, are you?”

Jungkook lunges before Jimin is even done speaking.

The thud of impact and grunt of rage from the youngest echoes through the room sickly as Jimin reels back, clutching at his nose. Already you can see the intense scarlet pooling between his fingers, dripping down as his eyes tear up with anger and pain.

The urge to jump in, do something, almost overwhelms you, but you feel yourself paralysed, shocked and barely able to process anything like it’s a bad nightmare.

On one side of Jungkook and Jimin, Taehyung wails, struggling in Hoseok and Namjoon’s hold as the two of them keep him from interfering. On the other side, Yoongi stands up in alarm, keeping his voice calm as he splays his palms. “Woah, woah, that’s enough now-”

Jimin pulls his hands away, spitting out the blood in his mouth even as more streams to fill out. “You little fucker,” he hisses. “If you broke my nose, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Jungkook lets out a bitter laugh. “Take your face away, you’re not much of anything, right?” he mocks.

Sensing things turning for the worst, Yoongi widens his eyes and jumps forward, but his hands just catch on empty air. Jimin’s already launched himself forward, taking Jungkook off-guard as he shoves him with balled fists, using the full weight of his body to send the other tripping backwards.

Jungkook curses when he lands harshly on the coffee table, empty and half-full cups of coffee flung off, some smashing directly under him. He rolls off, instinctively curling his body away from Jimin.

Passing Taehyung over to Namjoon, Hoseok leaps up to tug Jimin back as the man continues to step closer to Jungkook’s prone body. The moment he gets a hand on Jimin, however, he’s met with an elbow to the cheek, stumbling back from the impact.

For a moment, everyone goes silent. Jimin stares wide-eyed at the red mark quickly blooming on Hoseok’s cheekbone, the dom looking shocked as he rubs at it.

That second of inaction is all it takes for Jin and Yoongi to descend on Jimin at the same time, an arm firmly grasped by each man as they drag him backwards. Jimin doesn’t even fight it, though, a strange clarity and sorrow in his eyes, even brighter than the red that’s beginning to drip down to his shirt.

When Sejin bursts in and rushes over to Jungkook, it’s too late to really solve anything. The combative atmosphere has dissolved into the sick, defeated aftermath of Jimin and Jungkook’s physical alteration.

Still, he directs Jin and Yoongi to take Jimin upstairs to ‘cool off’, crouching beside Jungkook and making sure he’s okay before he tugs the boy gently up. As he leads the youngest in the opposite direction, towards the front door, Jungkook twists in his grip, trying to look back towards the group.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he wails, “please don’t hate me, I’m so so sorry!” Jungkook babbles on almost incoherently, feet stumbling as Sejin tries to shush him, pulling him out the door.

The moment the door clicks shut, it’s like the emotions of the past hour or so hit everyone at once. Namjoon has joined Taehyung in crying, Hoseok trying to rub their backs at once with a pained face, his cheek beginning to swell slightly.

With your shoulders and chest heaving violently as you sob - the silent tears finally finding their voice - you blink away your blurry vision and heave yourself off the couch. The three of them accept you with open, albeit shaky arms, and without any care about exposing your relationship, you wind your arms around Taehyung’s waist and bury your face in the crook of his neck.

“Do you think they’re okay?” Namjoon asks in a small voice, fiddling with the damp sleeve of his shirt.

As if to answer his question, you hear hurried stomps, followed by Jimin bursting briefly into your line of sight, rushing down the stairs and out the front door without even a second glance.

Even the split-second view of him you got sparks worry in your chest. He’d clearly made a minimal attempt to wipe away most of the blood, but there were still dried smears below his nostrils and down his neck, and the shirt he’s wearing looks like something out of a horror movie, likely the material he used to clean himself up.

Jin and Yoongi follow down, but not fast enough, the blue-haired man long gone by then. The two of them seem hollowed, clearly taking this on as their own burden, as their fault - especially Jin, who’s knitting his brows harshly to stop his own tears.

Taehyung’s straightening up immediately, wrapped up in the middle of the three of you on the couch as he calls out to the older men. “What did he say? Is he okay? It’s not broken, is it? His nose?”

“Tae, easy,” Jin soothes, voice thick with emotion. “Yoongi took a look at it, it’s not broken, just tender. Jungkook sure does know how to swing a punch, though. Jimin was lucky.”

“Lucky,” the masseuse repeats weakly. “I don’t know if anything about this was lucky, hyung.”

“Can we even come back from this?” Namjoon asks slowly. “If we couldn’t talk like adults without fighting, then surely we’re doomed to just-”

“Nobody is doomed,” Jin assures. “If I’m perfectly honest, it seems like Jungkook was so wound up that there was nowhere for him to go except this. He probably just needed to totally vent and get it all out. I should’ve seen it coming, I’m so sorry.”

Yoongi grimaces, a hand on Jin’s shoulder. “None of this is your fault, hyung. We’re all complicit and we can all learn from this, but let’s not play the blame game. I just hope Jimin and Jungkook don’t entirely despise each other after this. I actually thought the kid liked- Anyway. Best thing we can do now is give them some time.”

You suck in a deep breath. That whole time, you’d just sat there, too shocked or too cowardly to move, you don’t even know which one. And although it’s too late, at least there’s one thing you can do to help, rather than just waiting passively. You gently detangle yourself from Taehyung, Hoseok and Namjoon and get up off the couch.

When Yoongi - the most composed of the bunch - sees you kneel on the carpet, beginning to pick up chips and fragments of the shattered cup, he lets out a noise of concern. “Y/n, you shouldn’t-”

In your haste to help, and your shakiness from crying, it’s no surprise that your fingers are clumsy, grabbing onto a shard too harshly.

You see the blood welling before you feel it, a hot line of pain that opens up across the base of your palm and spills onto the carpet. Dumbly, you just watch it collect in the fibres. You’re sure when the showrunners rented this house, they hadn’t anticipated blood to be the fluid they’d need to be cleaning up. But in just one day, so much had been shed needlessly.

You’d probably sit there forever, numb to your own injury were it not for Yoongi rushing forward, his fingers gently prying away the sharp shard of ceramic, holding your hand so tenderly as he inspects it.

“You’re coming to my bedroom, now. Can you stand?”

Yoongi’s voice feels far away, inconsequential. You hum just to feel your throat vibrate. Letting out a sigh laden with worry, Yoongi lifts you off the floor slowly, waiting to see if you can get your feet back under you.

It seems you can stand, though it takes all of your focus. The others are talking behind you, voices fretting, but they reach your ears like you’re underwater.

It’s less than a second of eternity before you’re blinking away the cotton fog, slowly coming back to your senses.

The first thing you feel is a freezing solid surface against your legs and back. As it seeps into your bones, it wakes you up, and you fight to focus your vision, watching the colours swim sickly.

“...hear me?” The shapes and shades begin to settle like silt on a lakebed, revealing Yoongi’s round face as it crumples in contained concern. “Y/n, can you hear me?”

“I h-hear you, yes,” you slur out, coughing away the remaining thickness in your throat.

“Good, okay, stay with me,” he instructs, crouched in front of you. “What day is it?”

The more you tune back in to your surroundings, you become aware of a second person behind Yoongi. Hoseok’s long legs sprawl gracefully in front of you as he sits on the toilet seat lid, but his head is dipped back onto the tile. He looks totally devoid of any of the positive energy you’re used to seeing on him.

“Everything’s ruined,” you mumble lowly.

Yoongi sucks in a breath and tilts your face back to him, his fingers cold like ice. “I need you to not worry about that for now and stay alert. What day of the week is it?”

“Sunday,” you give after a beat.

“Good, and what’s my name?”

You frown, shifting in his grasp. “I’m not concussed, you know.”

Yoongi huffs, his hands falling from your jaw. “I’m trying to keep you distracted, you brat. What’s my name?”

“Min Yoongi. Doctor Min Yoongi I gue- Wait, why do I need to be- ow!” You automatically try to jerk your hand close to you when a searing, stinging pain explodes your nerves, but an iron grip around your wrist keeps you steady.

Glancing down, you see Yoongi deftly wrapping a bandage around the base of your palm, winding it around your thumb. Below, the burning ache of antiseptic makes you wince. “It hurts,” you whine.

“Unlike poor Hoseok, you did this to yourself,” Yoongi replies shortly.

You pout. “Do you bully all your patients?”

“Only the ones I like.” Clearing his throat with a tinge of pink in his cheeks, Yoongi finishes bandaging your wound. “You’ll live.”

Despite yourself and the events of the past few hours, your lip twitches. “Reassuring.”

Before the doctor can respond, Hoseok lifts his head and blinks down at the two of you balefully. “He hit me,” he breathes in a sullen voice.

“Jimin?” Yoongi begins to pack up his little first aid kit, slumping back against the vanity you’re propped up on. “You got in the way.”

“He didn’t just push me away, he elbowed me right in the face,” Hoseok explains meaningfully. The thought seems to bother him more than you’d expect. “I didn’t think he actually hated me like that.”

“Isn’t that your whole shtick?” you ask tiredly. All of your annoyance, frustration, anger and even your guilt seems to have been sucked away by the chill of the tile, leaving you feeling strangely hollow and detached. “Two sparring doms trying to outdo each other?”

The truth is, Jimin didn’t like to speak or hear about Hoseok, and you hadn’t actually spent that much time with the professional dom to hear his side. Hoseok shrugs with a sigh. “I know he doesn’t like me. And I think he’s an arrogant prick, but I’d never hit him. I thought it was just a bit of fun to play up the rivalry, you know? I guess not to him.”

Yoongi looks grim. “I don’t think it’s wise for us to make any judgements about each other based on any of the events of the past six hours. We all got caught up in it, and I’m sure we’ll be able to forgive and move on.”

Hoseok nibbles at a thumbnail, unassured. “Do you think they’ll send them home for aggression?”

“Who knows?” Yoongi answers honestly. “But hey; you’ll get to be the winner of your rivalry and outlast Jimin. That’s something, isn’t it? You always wanted to.”

A shiver runs up your spine at the despairing look on Hoseok’s face. “Not like this,” are the only three words he makes out before a sob bubbles up his throat. He claps a hand over his mouth, but the dam has burst.

“Hobi,” you coo, shuffling forward on your knees to avoid putting pressure on your injured hand. He lets out a shuddering breath when you take his hand and link in your fingers, providing some physical comfort. “Let’s go downstairs, maybe make some dinner, and wait for Jimin and Jungkook to come back in. We’ll say our sorries and go to bed on a warmer note, yeah?”

Hoseok pauses, bites his lip to cease his tears, and nods shakily. “Yeah, let’s do that. Even if he hates me, I… I want to apologise if I’ve contributed in taking things too far.”

You hum, standing up. Though you wobble for a bit, you feel far more stable than before, and you use your links hands to tug Hoseok to his feet too. “And I want to apologise for not being fairer with you all. But we can’t do anything until Jungkook and Jimin are ready to come back.”

Yoongi pushes himself off the floor with a grunt. “And Hoseok, I’m getting you an icepack for that cheek of yours.”

Though Hoseok protests, five minutes passing sees you in the kitchen, Hoseok slumped at the breakfast bar with a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a paper towel pressed to his face. You busy yourself with putting some rice on to cook and Yoongi and Jin work in their usual companionable silence, preparing a basic beef broth.

Both uninjured and not much help in the kitchen, Taehyung and Namjoon occupy their hands and minds with cleaning, following YouTube tutorials on how to get coffee and blood out of the carpet. They haven’t made all that much progress by the time dinner is served, but nobody comments on the dark patches, huddling on two couches in the lounge instead of the dining table. Though no one admits it, you need the extra physical comfort.

As you eat, you find yourself glancing back and forth between the two full bowls waiting on the kitchen countertop, and the front door. “Should someone go out and check on them?” you ask eventually, snapping the silence.

“I texted Sejin asking if they needed any medical attention,” Yoongi offers. “He just said no.”

“Minnie took his phone,” Taehyung said in a low voice. He’s barely touched his food, staring blankly into space. “But he only sent one text saying he was okay and he won’t reply to any of my other ones.”

“We wait,” Jin decides resolutely. “We’ll just sit here and wait for them to come back, and then hopefully we can all agree to put this past us. It was awful, yes, but I think it needed to happen. And hopefully nobody feels like they have anything weighing on their conscience anymore.”

Nobody protests and so, you wait.

The leftovers - god, when was the last time you’d had leftovers in this house? - are wrapped up and put in the fridge, the pots cleaned. As the sky dims, you turn the lights on inside. Nobody dares leave long enough to have a shower, but Taehyung darts upstairs to grab some blankets so that you can tuck up in two groups - Taehyung stays by your side with Hoseok, and the two eldest sandwich Namjoon.

Time passes stiffly, but it does pass. When the sun goes down, there are still only six of you in the house. Everyone’s so emotionally exhausted from the fight, and strung out from the anxiety of listening out for the door, that when it suddenly opens you all jump, Hoseok even cursing as he gets a fright.

The sudden spike of hope in your chest tanks violently when it’s Sejin that rounds the corner, a grim look on his face.

Taehyung frowns, his frame trembling as it leans into you. “Where are they?”

Sejin gestures back the way he came. “They’re in the production van.” Taehyung stands up immediately, but Sejin steps in front of him, hands splayed. “They just want to have some space, Taehyung,” he explains.

“There’s more space in here than there is in the van,” Taehyung protests weakly, even as he settles back down between you and Hoseok. “When are they gonna come back inside? It’s getting late.”

Sejin’s eyes flit around the six of you as he shifts, uncomfortable. “I’ve told them they’re welcome to stay the night there and use my bed. I came in to tell you that I’m going to go home now. Please don’t go out and disturb them. I’ve talked to them, but now they need some time to chat to each other and think about what they’d like to do.” The older man adjusts his glasses and gives you a pained smile. “Try and get some rest.”

A cold bolt of fear runs down your spine. “What they’d like to do?”

Taehyung swallows hard, hands beginning to tremble. “They aren’t going to leave the show, are they?”

Sejin’s mouth opens, closes, opens again. “Please try and get some rest,” he repeats, rather than answering. Taehyung shivers, and you feel the pressure of his forehead on your shoulder as he wraps his arms around your waist.

The producer turns to leave, making Yoongi frown. “Hey!” he calls sharply. Sejin turns around to face him. “I was meant to be taking Y/n out as my reward for fan favourite.”

You bite your lip anxiously. Truth be told, the thought had slipped your mind, and you don’t fancy leaving the others now, certainly not Taehyung who was clinging to you like a frightened puppy.

Sejin curses under his breath, rubbing his temple. “I’ll call an Uber.”

Yoongi steps back a little like the response surprises him. “No, I- This isn’t really the time, is it? I want to ask if we can do it tomorrow night instead, or something? I’m staying here with my friends tonight. We’re staying together.”

“That’s fine,” Sejin allows, a weak smile gracing his tired features before he gasps. “Oh! That reminds me…” He turns so that he’s addressing the group. “I don’t think anyone is in the emotional headspace for eliminations, so… I’m pushing the Monday meeting to Tuesday. Nine in the morning like usual. Just rest up tomorrow.”

“Good to hear you care now,” Yoongi mutters bitterly.

Sejin winces. “I think we’ve had enough conflict today, Yoongi-”

“Something you could have solved,” the doctor accuses harshly, “if you’d answered my texts or my calls and come down when we were asking you for help. I won’t forget that.”

“It’s done. There’s nothing more for me to do beyond apologising.”

“Which you haven’t done,” Yoongi fires back immediately.

“I’m sorry.” The producer gives a stiff wave of farewell to the group. “My girlfriend is waiting outside. I’ll be back first thing tomorrow.”

When Sejin leaves the villa, the group heave out a unanimous sigh of exhaustion. It’s been a long day, but the thought of splitting apart, of being alone with your thoughts, is more than you can bear.

“Could we…” You swallow down the croakiness in your throat as everyone turns to look at you. “Could we maybe all stay down here tonight? Together?”

Namjoon’s eyes soften. “I’d like that. I could grab some blankets?”

Taehyung looks up. “I’ll get pillows.”

One by one, four of you run upstairs, Yoongi and Hoseok wanting to get into some more comfortable clothes for sleeping. Before you do the same, you turn to Jin.

He’s starting to push the coffee table towards the television, leaving more room in the middle of the couches. Stubbornly keeping himself busy.

“Jin,” you call out hesitantly, making him glance up in the midst of straightening the table against the wall. “I want to apologise. For relying on you for everything and not taking responsibility of the situation.”

His eyes soften, a pained smile. “You don’t have to.”

“I do and I am,” you counter, “I’m sorry. And for what it’s worth… Me calling it a scene, I… It wasn’t a grand statement. It was just a slip of the tongue. You mean more to me than just this game, than just sex, and I feel terrible that you’ve gone the whole week thinking that was the case.”

Behind you, you can hear footsteps descending the stairs. Jin glances up, then back at you quickly with a shake of his head. “To be honest, I’ve gotten over it. I’m fine; you don’t have to worry about me. I think it’s better just to keep it about sex.” He makes a vague gesture, indicating the day’s events. “Less messy.”

You blink, not expecting that. Had he gotten over being upset? Or gotten over his feelings for you? “Oh.” But Hoseok and Taehyung are stumbling down the steps, hesitating in the doorway, and you know you can’t dig deeper. For now, you’ll have to just be happy he doesn’t seem to be still bothered by it. “No worries. I’ll- I should go get into some pyjamas.”

That night, none of you really sleep the night. You lie tucked between Yoongi’s reassuring mass on one side, and Taehyung’s comforting warmth on the other, and try to steal whatever moments of respite you can. But a restless night shared with five guys who mean far more to you than they should is far preferable to a night spent alone, and you count your blessings for it. Although you’re all a little broken, you have each other’s support to stop from shattering completely, and hopefully you can stay together long enough to heal.

ELIMINATION

On the seventh Day of every Week in the game, Y/n’s elimination vote is released for 48 hours following the post of the fic. Please note, this is NOT the Fan Favourite vote, which has already happened.

Vote closed. Thank you for participating.

Below is the screenshot taken after 48 hours of the fan favourite vote being open.

[silence-burns]

Please Hate Me //part 48

Fandom: Marvel

Summary: Based on: “Imagine having a love/hate relationship with Loki.” by @thefandomimagine​ Who would have thought that babysitting a god could be so much fun?

Genre: slow-burn, enemies to lovers, banter, smut

Being the friendly neighborhood Spiderman always gave Peter a sense of pride and purpose, even if he could only share it openly with a few people. It was the kind of accomplishment that made all the hardships seem worth it in the end. It also made him happy in a way he couldn't really explain, but which involved a certain connection between him and the people he protected and got familiar with over the course of his superhero patrols.

But being the friendly neighborhood Spiderman was difficult in a neighborhood where no one was actually friendly in return.

Peter’s frown grew the further into the building he went. He was pretty sure it was the same one Loki and you had been renting an apartment in, and since he was a rather frequent guest, the neighbours should recognize him by now enough to at least return his greetings. 

That was what logic dictated, but Peter was pretty certain the people he met in the hallway only gave him a stern, disapproving look before walking past him quickly.

Peter was still frowning when he moved up the stairs, juggling the keys in his hand. Then he stopped. The unearthly screams of the damned were muffled, but most definitely coming from apartment number 13. 

Opening the door quietly, he slid into the familiar interior, now echoing with pain and suffering so loud, Peter had to cover his ears just enough to move to the root of all evil  - the bathroom. 

There were many inexplicable things Peter had witnessed happening in the apartment 13, and to some extent he got used to the thrill of not knowing what he'd face next time he paid a visit. Still, he hadn't expected to see various parts of a half-drowned owl sticking out of the sink filled thick with foam and bubbles. The owl must've struggled a lot, judging by the amount of water splashed on every possible surface, and the iron grip you and Loki still kept on the bird. Even if Loki was not wearing his usual features, it was still obvious who your partner in crime was.

The two of you froze. Soap and foam dripped to the floor. Loki's new form shimmered with a glamour only magic could achieve.

"Um, what are you guys doing?" Peter asked.

"Trying a new disguise?" The curtain of Loki's new long hair was luscious and utterly drenched. 

"No, I meant-"

"Listen, boy, as surprising as it might be for you, I'm still me, just with a less… criminally wanted image."

"Yeah, only if 'ME' stands for mischief embodied," you laughed.

"It literally doesn't. It's smooth, but it doesn't."

"Thank you, love. Now, could you please stop drowning poor Barbara?"

Loki sighed, but relaxed his grip on the bird just enough to allow it to peak its head out from under the surface and take a deep, long breath. 

Peter put his backpack down and meandered closer, dodging the growing puddles. "Why is there an owl in the sink?"

"Because I'm not allowing any fleas into my house," you firmly stated, pushing the wings back under the water. "And I don't care how many hours we'll spend here, I'm getting all the mud and dirt out."

Barbara clung to her dirt with all her might, but was overpowered and utterly misunderstood. Loki's new form was slimmer, but held the bird with his usual strength and a big dose of satisfaction. The smirk on his face was unchanged, even if the features were new.

"What do you need a disguise for anyway?" Peter asked, looking for a towel. "Can I go with you?"

"I'm afraid that as wildly chaotic and lawless as our destination is, you'd still be age-checked," Loki cooled his enthusiasm.

Barbara rushed to the towel and clung to it, loudly exclaiming what, precisely, she thought about her caretakers. Peter tried to dry her up as best as he could through her wriggling and screams. 

"Are you sure all this soap is good for her? Did you use any animal-friendly shampoo?"

Loki shrugged. "I doubt she can get any more dead."

The boy looked at the owl. The owl looked at the boy. The ruffled and drenched feathers were sticking out in all directions, uncovering a deep and no doubt fatal hole in her side. 

"You got a dead owl…?"

"It was not my idea," Loki groaned, casting the bird a disgusted stare in the mirror where he tried to change the shape of his eyebrows. 

"You're just angry because she likes me more," you laughed while mopping the floor.

Peter did his best to become invisible and not stare too openly at the ribs poking out of the feathers. Barbara puffed them every time he moved the towel around. The boy couldn't speak owlish, but the small, crittering noises she made were definitely far from happy.

"Where will you be going?" Peter asked. The owl sat on his knees and refused to move even after he finished drying her on the couch.

"To the largest casino on the Moon."

"Wait- There are casinos up there?"

"Not for kids your age," Loki said.

Peter slumped on the couch. "That's not fair."

"We'll be back before you notice." You threw the wet rag to the sink. "Of course, as long as a certain someone FINALLY decides what to wear."

Loki ignored your pointed look, too busy with changing his hair color. No matter how many little details he changed, he still struggled with finding a form he was sure would allow him to pass through the guards unnoticed and unrecognized. It was a shame he couldn't use his own - it felt like a waste to hide a face like his. 

The owl settled on Peter's shoulder, immobilizing him with the claws buried in his skin. But even from the couch, the boy could see the remnants of a hurricane that had thrown a rather alarming amount of clothes around the apartment.

"I thought these were yours," he admitted. The owl kept on looking through his hair with the utmost scrutiny and very little gentleness.

"I've settled long ago on what I'm going to wear. As for the diva himself, though…" you gestured around.

"I need it to be perfect," Loki said. "I have an important role to play, I can't just waltz in there and be recognized."

"You could go blond," Peter suggested.

"Ew, I don't want to look anything like my brother- Wait, that's actually a great idea."

Before any of you managed to protest, a full-grown Thor stood in Loki's place, watching himself from all angles in the mirror. The clothes no longer fit, so he dropped them and dove into the closet again.

"...what have I done?"

You patted Peter's free shoulder. Barbara nested in the crook of his neck. "Nothing they can prove. Hopefully."

*

"I am not my father's servant," not-Thor downed another beer. "And if I want to relax for just one evening, I shall!"

The tankard broke into tiny pieces as he smashed it on the ground. The loud applause and waves of laughter followed the very Thor-like outburst, making Loki relieved he was playing his role well. Even in a place like this, crowded with drunkards and gamblers from all over the universe, it was common knowledge what the god of thunder enjoyed.

Loki forced his glamoured face to remain cheerful as another tankard of beer had been brought to him, disgustingly sour and rough. He knew his brother well, and was sure he'd love it, but Loki himself would rather bite off his tongue than willingly digest any more if only he had an actual choice. He didn't, and therefore swallowed another gulp to the cheering from the crowds gathered at his table. The cards had been laid out, waiting for the victors to celebrate their success, and the rest to decide how much more money they were willing to lose to the god of thunder.

Seated in a great hall of marble and gold, Loki wished he could play the way he actually wanted to, which was the very same way that got him banned from the Moon last time he had visited. But for the sake of the mission, he stayed just above the line between bankrupting and winning money, which added to the body he was wearing, was just big enough temptation to keep his table busy.

Everyone entering the biggest casino on the Moon was inclined to try their luck, or at least take a quick look. It was a perfect, if rather boring, way of scanning everyone who entered the rich complex of buildings. The few fountains set further in the back murmured as they shot curtains of water. The air was thick and warm, making crowds of people inevitably gravitate towards them in search of any cold. With the tall, lush plants artistically winding over and between the pillars, it created little areas dotting the impossibly high hall, where the pleasant breeze gathered the people looking for just a moment of relief. You occupied a spot beneath the fountains, where most people would wind up going to at some point, and used it as a second checkpoint, just in case anyone missed Loki's, or rather his brother's table.

"Come on, does anyone else want to lose their fingers?" Loki heard you call out to the crowds.

Between their never ending sessions of losing and winning the money back just to lose them again, there were many individuals in need of a drink and a quick break from the gambling. How easy it was to grab their attention with a loud voice and a dead owl.

Loki stretched his neck and looked over to where you had sat down the bird with all kinds of currency piled between its claws and a single coin shining through the open ribcage. 

"All you need is to get the coin out, what's the matter, people? Is there no one brave enough to win all this money?"

Greed has always been a major deciding factor for the living beings regardless of race and the world of origin. The queue only rose in length as everyone wanted to try their luck. 

The table under Barbara grew more and more slick with blood from cut and bitten fingers. Pure malice shone in her dead eyes.

"What an awful creature," Loki muttered to himself. 

He could sense the stolen pin somewhere in the vicinity, but the casino was a loud and chaotic place, with multiple areas each centered around a different type of entertainment. More than an hour had already passed, but whoever was currently holding onto the pin, had not yet ventured anywhere near.

The two of you were slowly but inevitably running out of time. Odin might've been old and naive, but his spies' eyes reached far and wide. Loki had little doubt he would be interested in his favourite son's apparent evening fun, especially if he had that particular son with him, in the palace. Thor was a good cover, but not for much longer.

And then, by chance or a generous turn of fate, the shadows stirred and whispered. 

Loki cast the dice, not paying attention whether he'd won or lost. His money wasn't real anyway.

There - by the high palms stood the Hoarders, clad in the worn out rags and way too much jewelry. With their grey skin and long limbs, it was no wonder how easily they blended in with the shadows, using their skills to warp their surroundings and get in places others would consider highly secure. But their success was not measured in how many places they were capable of breaking in themselves, but rather how many individuals of all races they could easily befriend and bend to their will. Although, to be quite honest, Loki doubted the necromancer had needed much convincing. 

There were only three of them, each almost an identical copy of the others, but the Hoarders were encircled by both their partners for the evening and whatever scum tried to befriend them. That made it so much harder to approach them, but Loki was already thinking of a good excuse when he rose from his seat. People parted, giving him space - much more that would be granted to Loki's original form. 

The shadows whispered again. One of the ladies separated from the group, with an annoyed expression on her face.

Loki stretched, making sure to put his hands high. Once he caught your attention, he followed the lady at a leisurely pace.

"What do we do?" You asked once both of you entered the corridor and disappeared behind the corner. 

"She's got the pin."

One more turn took you in front of the ladies restroom. 

"Time for Plan C.” Loki began undressing quickly.

Holding a spare dress in your bottomless pocket was not the wisest choice, but it apparently paid off, even if fishing it out took you a moment. Your hands shook. Someone might have walked in on you at any time. While Loki would be doing whatever it took to get the pin back, you would be the one making sure no one interrupted him…

Like distracting the waiter that was now staring at both of you. Focused on the contents of your pocket, you hadn’t even noticed him approaching. Loki clad in only Thor's skin, blinked. 

The waiter turned on his heel and disappeared.

"I can already feel the gossip stirring," Loki shifted into a more feminine body, quickly putting on the dress. "They are going to eat my brother alive."

"Do you feel bad about it?"

"Oh, my heart is breaking into a million pieces," Loki assured you with a smile far too wide for that to be true. 

He kissed you quickly before disappearing into the restroom. 

Life felt amazing. Loki couldn't help but imagine the amount of trouble his brother would get once the word spread about his whereabouts.

His imagination was running wild, but the one thing Loki couldn't imagine was how, merely thirty minutes later, he'd find himself in the dungeons deep beneath the surface of the Moon, half-drowned, and viciously bitten.

[cashmeremars]

dating seulgi || k.sg

pairing: seulgi x fem!reader

summary: seulgi is your girlfriend, here’s how it goes....

genre: fluff, angst, domestic!au, idol x non-idol reader

word count: 3.1k (whoops)

a/n: basically my dream life

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

how you met:

you’ve always been very art-inclined but never did much with it but sketch and paint in your apartment, so your friends thought it would be a good idea to enrol you in an art class (without your knowledge)

At first you weren’t very fond of the idea because you never really shared your art with anyone, and going to an art class meant that you would have to share your art with a bunch of random strangers and a professional art teacher (which is super nerve-wracking)

your friends manage to convince you, but not without your constant protests

the day of the first art class comes and you decide that if you’re gonna be surrounded by strangers for the first time, you might as well look nice, especially if your art is gonna suck

you had approximately 5 minutes to gather your art supplies and get in your car before you were gonna be late (because you spent too much time on your appearance)

you manage to arrive to the art studio in time and find a seat next to a girl that looked all too familiar to you

as soon as you sit down you can feel her looking at you, when you look up, she whips her head back towards her canvas

The teacher walks in and starts teaching. your first assignment was to draw a fruit bowl but in the most abstract way possible

as everyone starts to unpack their supplies to draw, you realize that you left your sketching pencil at home (typical) 

you panic for a little bit before you turn to the girl next to you

As you look at her, you realize just how pretty she is; her dark hair and bangs frame her pale face beautifully as her cheeks are dusted with faint strokes of pink that match her lips

She turns to glance at you and you realize that you’ve been staring at her for too long. She raises an eyebrow at you before you speak

“Hey, um, i was being really stupid this morning and forgot my pencil. Can i borrow one of yours?” you stammer as you look at her with wide eyes

she giggles softly to herself as her eyes crinkle into little crescent moons, she hands you one of her pencils and then extends her hand out to you

“I’m Seulgi, you must be new to this class?” she asks with a smile

You introduce yourself before answering her question “yeah, my friends kind of forced me to do this, i’m not sure if it’ll be fun or not”

“Well if you’re not having fun then you can just talk to me. I like keeping people company”

You smile at her softly before turning your head back to your canvas. For the rest of the class you and seulgi find each other speaking to each other, or stealing shy glances at one another

After an hour, everyone’s sketches were complete. You hear a gasp next to you and quickly turn your head towards Seulgi

“Oh my god, that’s amazing” Seulgi says as she gapes directly at your artwork

Your first instinct is to cover up your canvas, but seulgi’s gasp attracts the attention of your classmates as they all move towards you to look at your art

As you get showered with compliments you can’t help but blush since everyone's reactions were so unexpected

The commotion near your canvas calms down as everyone goes around admiring each other’s artwork

“You’re so cute when you’re shy” seulgi says quietly beside you

“What? O-oh thank you. You’re pretty too” you stutter

Everyone begins to pack their bags to leave. When you turn to hand seulgi her pencil, you realize that she’s gone

You being to pack your things more frantically so you can try to see if she’s still hanging around the building

As you rush out of the room you bump directly into seulgi with a huff, she turns around startled before she realizes that it’s just you

“Um, I just wanted to return your pencil. I didn’t know if you had left the building already” you say as you hand her the pencil

She reaches to grab it and your fingers caress each other gently before she looks up at you with a sweet smile

“Thank you, you art is amazing by the way. I wish I could draw like that” she says as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear

“What? Seulgi, your art is quite literally the best I’ve seen in awhile. If anything, I should be jealous of you” you exclaim with wide eyes. It was ridiculous to think that Seulgi’s art was anything less than astonishing. 

“Oh thank you. Hey, did you enjoy the class? I really hope you can come back” Seulgi says as she lightly taps your forearm

“Honestly, it was actually pretty enjoyable. I really loved being in an environment where everyone has the same goals. Especially with classmates as supportive as you” you reply

“Good, hopefully you’ll remember your pencil or anything. Not that I mind if you don’t” she jokes

“Please, I’ll definitely remember it next time” you reply with a chuckle

After a while of speaking, you and seulgi exchange numbers as you head towards your car

“Hey, have I seen you somewhere? You seem really familiar, but I don’t know how” you ask as you reach your car

Seulgi visibly hesitates for a bit before she replies “I’m an idol. Seulgi from Red Velvet” she replies with awkward jazz hands

Then it all hits you. You’d often see red velvet on TV and Seulgi was always the one that stood out to you the most

“Oh. Well I think that Seulgi from art class rolls off the tongue better” you reply with a wink. 

She laughs before a car pulls up and honks at her

“Oh, my managers here. I’ll text you, if you want me to” she replies with shy eyes

“Of course I’d want you to text me. I’ll see you later Seulgi” you say before opening your car door. She waves at you before walking away and into the car. She rolls down the window before shouting out another goodbye with a wide smile and both of her hands waving

You roll your eyes at her playfully before waving again and heading into your car. You drive home with a smile stuck on your face as you remember her smile. 

When your friends asked you about how the art class went, you told them everything that happened. They teased you for a bit but were also happy that you made a new friend that shares the same hobbies as you, although they insisted that you wanted her to be more than your friend

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

dates:

You and seulgi had been hanging out for the past 3 months (usually after your art classes) and she’d quickly become one of your closest friends over the course of those 3 months

You and seulgi were having an art-picnic at the park. You’d both decided it would be fun if you drew sketches of each other to your best abilities. 

Obviously you tried really hard on your sketch of seulgi (which wasn’t all that hard considering how many times you’ve mindlessly doodled her, you’d basically memorized her facial features)

The wind was blowing your hair in your face but that didn’t stop you from completing your sketch of her 

You look up at Seulgi to catch any more details that you might’ve missed and you notice that she’s smiling shyly as her face starts to blush while she draws you. You raise your eyebrow at her but she doesn’t notice.

A little while later she flicks her wrist upwards while semi-yelling “Done!” with a bright smile

You finish yours soon after with a smile. The drawing looks exactly like her; from the stray hair of her bangs to the tiny little freckles on her cheeks. 

You both stare at each other for a bit before she motions towards your sketchbook, waiting for you to share yours first.

You hesitate before turning your sketchbook towards her. You close your eyes and wait for her reaction. You hear a gasp as she quickly takes the sketchbook out of your hands and examines it. 

You open your eyes and look at her as she gapes at your drawing. 

She looks up at you with bright eyes as she starts to gush at your drawing “this looks exactly like me” she says with a smile. “Do you mind if i keep it?” she asks quietly

“Uh. yeah, of course. I mean I drew it for you anyways” you say with a nervous chuckle

There’s a bit of silence as you watch her admire your drawing. Her eyes glimmer like the sun reflecting the ocean in a way that looks like she’s about to tear up

She suddenly looks up at you before she takes a deep breath. She puts your sketch down and holds hers up towards you. She smiles nervously at you before she turns her sketchbook towards you

There’s a nearly perfect portrait of you sketched onto the paper. She even managed to perfect your hair flying in the wind.

You grab the sketch from her in awe and begin to inspect it closely. Seulgi’s attention to detail never fails to surprise you

As you look even closer at the portrait, you notice a bit of handwriting at the bottom. You slightly squint your eyes at it before your jaw slowly starts to hang open

“I know this might seem a bit awkward but I really feel like I’ve known you my whole life. Please don’t hate me, but do you maybe kinda wanna go on a date sometime?” it says in scribbled handwriting

You dropped the sketch and engulfed her in a long loNG hug (and she started crying aw)

The rest of your picnic was just you guys staring at each other and giggling

Your first date lasted around 48 hours because Seulgi insisted that she takes you on a roadtrip to her favourite places (but you wouldn’t have asked for anything more)

You and seulgi will go on dates anywhere

You’ve gone bowling, arcading, canoeing, hiking, karaoke, and tree climbing (which was kind of weird but you guys had fun)

On your 100 day anniversary, seulgi takes you out on a date to the lake where you ride those cute swan boats

You then shared a red velvet cake (wink wink) before heading over to your apartment to binge movies

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

kisses:

Even though she’s your girlfriend, seulgi is still pretty shy about kissing you (which also makes you shy)

Your first kiss was actually on your first date

You were both sitting in the swan boats, pedaling lightly as you laughed along with each other. At one point you both fell into a comfortable silence

She was brushed a piece of hair behind your ear before leaning in slowly and capturing her soft lips with yours

It was a very wholesome kiss that left her blushing aggressively when you pulled away

You leaned back in for another kiss (which she obviously granted) and that was your first kiss !!!

Seulgi’s kisses depend on the situation, for example;

Good luck kisses - these are usually the kisses that you give seulgi before she has to go to rehearsal or days of the group’s comebacks. These kisses are always very sweet and long and filled with encouraging words between each one. You grab her face with both hands and plant a big kiss before whispering good luck and patting her cheek. 

Goodnight kisses - these kisses usually happen at the end of each date when seulgi has to head back to the dorms. you guys usually spend at least 10 minutes saying goodbye to each other before one of you actually ends up leaving. These kisses are usually very soft and linger for much longer than they should, as they’re accompanied with soft whispers of how much you enjoyed the day. 

Greeting kisses - these happen when you meet up before a date, before art class, or literally just anytime you see her. When you see each other, she usually engulfs you in a warm bear hug. They’re usually just soft little pecks, maybe three in a row and then you guys are off catching up on each other’s lives

Adoration kisses - these ones usually come out of nowhere. These happen on your dates when one of you gets so caught up in admiring the other that you kind of slip into your own world, where they’re the only other person that exists. You can’t think of anything but them. So you lean in and kiss her, again, again, and again, until you get lost in the moment.

Morning kisses -  these happen at the crack of dawn. you're both still half asleep, but not enough to not acknowledge the others’ presence. Seulgi will usually wrap her arm across your chest without even realizing it, and you instinctively lean in closer. You both squint at each other, seulgi’s hair is all over her face and the sight always makes you laugh. Seulgi groans quietly as she stretches, her leg falls over yours and she nuzzles her head into your side. She lazily lands a kiss on your cheek and neck before slowly falling back asleep

Comforting kisses - the most heartbreaking kisses that you and seulgi share. Sometimes you’ll visit the dorm to hang out with seulgi and find her laying on her bed unmoving, and with shaky breaths. You quietly whisper her name and your heart breaks as she turns to look at you with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. You’d always heard about how tough it was being an idol, but seulgi never opened up to you about it because she wanted to be herself around you, not “Red Velvet’s Seulgi”, so seeing the effects of it firsthand was nothing less than shocking for you. You rush to hold her in your arms as she cries into your shoulder. You whisper that you’ll be there for her and that you’ll listen when she’s ready. Quietly rubbing her back, you plant soft kisses on her forehead and cheeks between your whispers as she slowly calms down.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

arguments:

You and seulgi rarely argue because you’re both mature adults that value communication

But when you do argue it can get pretty bad

You never really argue about petty things, so that’s why things can get pretty tense when you argue about serious things

The tension in the room when you guys argue is scary for anyone that happens to be in the room

You can quite literally feel how angry the two of you are

Your voices are always very tight and low when you guys are arguing and it would give anyone goosebumps

It gets to the point where you both just decide that you’re tired of talking in circles so someone usually storms out and goes home

You won’t speak to each other for a couple of days (like absolutely no contact at all)

Then one of you will text the other asking to come over and then y’all manage to sort it out, apologize, and go back to how things were before

Your relationship is ultimately very healthy so arguments aren’t exactly a huge problem for you

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

her love languages:

Words of affirmation - seulgi loves when you give her words of affirmation randomly throughout the day. Little compliments and random praise really makes her day. It could be about a new decoration she put up in her room, a dish she made, or even a hairstyle she tried out. The blush that graces her face is the most adorable part of it all, which only encourages you to compliment her more. Seulgi also loves to give you words of affirmation, but they always make her shy and flustered. It’s the cutest sight to see.

Quality time - you and seulgi are basically inseparable. You both always have so much to talk about and so much to do, that you never actually get bored of each other. However, both of you are extremely busy (seulgi more than you), so when you do get free time, you are ALWAYS together. Seeing her face after such a long time apart makes you never want to leave her again. You both spend an hour catching up on each other’s lives, and then you do some fun stuff together. This can include watching movies, learning dances together, biking, drawing, baking, etc. There’s nothing you two haven’t done. 

Gifts - seulgi believes that the best gift you can give someone comes directly from the heart, so she’s a huge fan of home-made gifts. This can go from drawings/paintings she’s made of you, cute little bracelets with your nick-names or initials on them, little sweaters and hats she’s knitted for you. Whenever seulgi has to travel for promotions or tours, she’ll bring back cute little trinkets that she said reminded her of you. You have a whole collection of keychains, stuffed animals, and little postcards that seulgi has sent you while she was abroad. Seulgi’s favourite gifts from you are the ones that you’ve put a lot of thought into. For example, a handwritten love letter, tickets to a movie she’s been talking about, homemade little videos edits that you’ve collected of her, posters of her favourite art pieces, etc. In your relationship, thoughtful gifts mean more than expensive gifts.

Acts of service - your friendship and relationship literally started off with an act of service when she lent you her pencil. You two are constantly doing things for the other. Oh, you were planning to throw out the garbage? I did that an hour ago. You’re hungry? Great, I just finished making you a three course meal just for fun. There’s just something about surprising one another with finishing little tasks for each other each day that’s especially heartwarming. It’s not anything special, but it shows that you care about each other, and it also makes things less stressful for one another.

Physical touch - i feel like i’ve already established that seulgi lOVES physical affection. She would cuddle you for the rest of her life if she could. Although the two of you aren’t into PDA, when you’re alone you’re basically stuck to each other. You’re always holding hands, giving each other pecks, playing with each other’s hands, brushing each other’s hair, squeezing each other’s cheeks. You simply can’t get enough of each other and it’s adorable.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

masterlist

read before requesting

to do list

[drethanramslay]

i would like to request 18 & 56 for ian x mc if you wanna write it🥺👉🏼👈🏼

Thanks for the ask @raleigheffingcarrera ❤️❤️

You can find the prompt list here.

#18- “Do you own anything that isn’t a woollen jumper?”

#56-“I don’t think i’ve ever see you without a book in your hand…”

Word count: 2.1 K (fuck that is longer that I thought it would be)

Author's note: okay so this is my first time writing Ian X mc and I hope it lives up to your expectations 😅

And also I have changed the MC's character a little because let's agree.. um qb MC is creepy🤢

Forgive me if I make any mistakes and I hope you like it ❤️

Falling like the stars

Bianca sat on one of the tables in the almost empty quad, studying. Sure, she was part of 'the Elite' and climbing the popularity charts but being a straight A student for most of her academic career would never remove the nerd in her.

Fall was around the corner, so the trees were a burst of red, orange and green. The leaves rustled with the wind and the setting sun casted long shadows on the ground. The birds chirped and the sky was a hue of reds and pinks, making the entire place look so serene.

There used to have such pretty sunsets back home. Bianca thought, swimming in nostalgia.

Shaking her head, she dived back into her notes, several books open around her as she resumed writing.

It went on like that for an hour before she heard laughter and chatter from the other end of the quad. Students filed out of the anthropology class.

Must be the class which Ian set up for the people who failed the mock test. Bianca mused to herself.

As the students poured out, her eyes kept on flitting to the entrance, waiting for him to come out.

God, just how whipped are you?

Whenever she thought about her past interactions with Ian, she would mentally face palm.

She wanted to bang her head at how cringy and dumb she acted around him. She wanted to be smooth, but she would come across as a creep. She wanted to come across as understanding, but she would come across as pressurising. She wanted to come across as caring, but she ended up being overbearing.

Ian was such a sweetheart that he would brush of the comments but seeing the discomfort in his eyes made her want to curl up into a ball and die.

She just couldn't understand how she manage to fuck up everytime. Sure she was good at flirting with both guys and girls but, that was just mindless fun. Just a mutual exchange.

But with Ian, it was different. Ian was not the kind of guy you could just add to a list of hook ups. He was the kind of guy you could have long conversations and not get bored. He is the kind of guy who would listen to your problems and guide you. He is the kind of guy you could call at 3 am and he would come over to be by your side as you cry.

He is the kind of guy you could fall in love with.

And those guys were dangerous. If you fell for him, your life would never be the same, take it however you want.

Yet... She found herself doing the exact opposite of what she promised herself to not do.

Fall for her anthropology professor.

She saw Ian exit the classroom, his laptop in hand. She observed his outfit and it was the usual he wore. Tie, woollen jumper (for it was chilly), formal pants and brown Oxfords.

Does he own anything that isn't a woollen jumper?

She saw him talk to a couple of students before bidding them good night.

Look away Hughes. Look away before-

His eyes snapped to hers, as if he had an inbuilt radar.

-he sees you.

Blushing and caught in the act, she raised her hand and sent a small wave. He gave a grin and started walking towards her.

Shit shit shit. He is coming here what do I do?

Be yourself. He inner voice said, which sounded eerily like Zoey's.

Be myself? What kind of dumb advice is that.

She looked down at her notes, her voluminous curls covering her face praying to God, that she doesn't fuck up this time.

"In the entirety of this week, I don't think I've seen you without a book in your hand..." Ian spoke up, an amused grin on his face.

Twirling her pen she spoke. "Well there is a saying- No matter what clothes you wear, you can't shake out the nerd in you."

"Let me guess, its a quote which you came up on the spot."

Shooting an embarassing grim she spoke. "Guilty as charged. There is a reason I'm not majoring in Lit."

They both chuckled. Cupping her face in her hand she said, "You look awfully cheery today."

"Obviously, it's the weekend and I'm not going to have to deal with students and faculty for 48 hours."

Giving her books a stink eye she sighed. "I wish I could get out. I'm just so done with everyone."

"Why is that? Aren't you like Miss Popular now? Where are your friends?"

"They aren't-" stopping abruptly she sighed and played with her hands on the table.

Ian reached and squeezed one of her hands which had her looking up to see kind dark eyes stare back at her. "Something's bothering you. Do you wanna talk about it? I'm a good listener."

Her heart leaped but her notes glared back at her. "I would love to but I have to study."

"Yeah, I know that. But I also know that you should not burn yourself out. When was the last break you took? Or the last time you are?"

Silence.

"Well that answers my concerns. C'mon I know this food truck with delicious giant burritos."

Closing her book shuts and placing her pens into her pouch she stood up and stretched. Ian's eyes narrowed on to the exposed skin of her torso.

Ian, calm down. Don't stare at her like you want to fuck her. She is your student and you are the professor. He chanted to himself before helping her close her books.

Placing the books in her satchel, she threw the strap over her shoulder. "Okay. I won't turn down a giant burrito. But we will need to come back in an hour and half."

"Deal."

"This guy is a culinary genius. I used to come here to eat when I first shifted to NYC. They are so big-"

————————————————————————————-

"Oh god this smells sooo good." Bianca said as they stood in line for the food truck.

"That's what she said." Bianca snickered to which Ian gave an unamused expression.

She shrugged and gave an unbiased grin. "What? I saw the opportunity and I just couldn't let it slide."

"I swear you need Jesus." Ian muttered under his breath before stepping forward to place their order.

"Here, let me pay-" Bianca said as she reached for her purse but, was stopped by Ian grasping her wrist and shaking his head.

"It's my 'good luck for your exams' treat for you."

Bianca looked down, a shy smiling on her face.

Why do I get so flustered around him?

Taking their food, they walked further into the park and sat on a bench facing a small pond.

Unwrapping her burrito eagerly, she took a big bite and groaned as the spicy flavours burst into her mouth. "This is sho goofff." She said with her mouth full.

"Told you it would be worth it. " Ian said as he took a sip of his coke.

Gulping she smiled. "Never doubted you for a second."

"Wait you have something...here." Ian reached forward to wipe the sauce at the edge of her mouth with his thumb which left an onslaught of butterflies in her tummy.

Thank god it's dark and he can't see my cheeks.

They continued to eat in a comfortable silence before Ian spoke up. "So, are you ready to tell me what's bothering you?"

Swallowing her bite, she sighed. "It's just... I'm exhausted."

"Is it about your exams?"

"Nope. I love studying as dorky as it sounds. It's my only escape. But... I'm tired of everything else, y'know?"

"Is it about 'the T'? Poppy? The popularity hierarchy here?"

She scoffed as she agressively took a bite of her burrito. "Try all of the above."

Turning towards him, she spoke, her forehead furrowed with annoyance. "Do you how shitty this entire charade is? It feels like I'm in the fuckin Hunger games over here. I never gave a damn about how popular I am or how feminine I need to look or what kind of threads I need to wear to impress people. I am a 'band tee, shirts and Vans' kinda girl but here I am wearing-" she pointed at her black woollen turtle neck, her pleated skirt and knee length boots "- THIS! My mom would be shocked that I actually am wearing a skirt."

"I think you look beautiful." The compliment slipped out of his mouth without him even realizing.

His eyes widened after a moment. "I-" he began but he was stopped short by Bianca shaking her head and squeezing his arm in gratitude.

"Thank you Ian. But coming back to the topic, this is straight something out of mean girls and it's so unnatural. Hell, in my previous college everyone was too stressed and depressed to bother about this... This popularity contest!"

"Yep. That's Belvoire for you. Where the rich will trample over the poor." Sarcasm dripping off his lips which had Bianca chuckling.

Raising their coke bottles they clinged to each others. "I will drink to that."

Taking a sip, they both gazed at the water. The night sky reflected in it which made the entire place look magical. After sometime, Bianca spoke up. "I am not liking how it's changing me."

Ian turned towards her, their knees brushing against each other. Ian exercised his absolute control and willpower to not look down at the expanse of her legs.

"Care to elaborate?"

Letting out a humourless laugh she continued. "When I was accepted to Belvoire, I thought it would open up so many new opportunities. The exposure and knowledge would help me sharpen my skills. The various job offers and the placement deals... The list could go on and on."

Looking down at her almost finsihed burrito, she sighed. "But it's just opened up doors to manipulation, deceit and savageness."

Sighing, Ian gazed into the distance. "Well that is the funny thing about these elite schools. They promise you dreams but tell you you aren't good enough the moment you enter. They promise you hope that life will turn around but tell you that you are destined to your old ways. At the end of this torment, you are so way off from your morals. It's a paradox which I hate."

"Exactly!! And see, I'm assertive, I don't take shit from anyone and I won't hesitate to give it back to a bully. But, that became an invitation for people to see me as someone who would dethrone Poppy. It's tremendous pressure and Zoey has taken up the job of being some, marketing manager, trying to sell this brand called 'Bianca Hughes'. I love that girl but damn... I didn't sign up for this."

Ian wiped his mouth before continuing. "Sorry if this come across as crass, but I have noticed how you bask in the constant fawning and how most of the campus is head over heels in love."

"Well, I also have years of drama classes under the belt. It's all an act Ian. I am in this constant state of turned on and I am not able to turn it off."

Ian eyes bugged out and Bianca turned red after she realized what she said. "I didn't mean it in the sex way I meant it- argh!" She smacked her hand on her forehead.

Chuckling Ian squeezed her shoulder. "No I get it. You have been putting up a facade of someone you aren't and that would, of course be tiring. Years of staying here in the Big Apple and till this day, I wonder how far have I gone from the wide eyed boy who grew up in the suburbs. Would he be proud of what I have accomplished? Or be ashamed of how I have deviated from my morals?"

She shot a smile his way. "Well I think he would be proud. Despite how much the people around here drag you down, you are one of the most genuine people I have come across in this jungle filled with snakes. It feels nice that I have someone I can talk to about mundane problems without being judged, y'know?"

Ian smiled back at her and squeezed her hand. "Me too. I care about you and I am always here to listen to your problems and guide you. You are unique and don't let this entire ordeal take that away from you."

"Thank you Ian. I really appreciate it."

They got and threw the trash into the adjacent garbage as they started heading back for campus.

"Ian?"

"Yeah Bianca?" Ian turned towards her, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry if I come to hard on you. I don't do it on purpose, I swear! It's just - oof all my words get muddled up due to my feelings and I end up embarassing myself and making you uncomfortable."

He chuckled as he tucked her hair behind her ear, his gaze flitting to her brown orbs. "It's okay Bianca. People do crazy things when they have crush-itis."

"Lemme guess, you came up with that disease right now."

"Just like you did with that quote. Remind me again, what was it? No matter what clothes-"

She cut him off by lightly shoving him "Shut up." But he just continued laughing.

"You are annoying." She grumbled.

"But you still like me." He said as he nudged her shoulder.

That I do...

Ian X MC: @lucy-268 @ethandaddyramsey @noboundariesplease @hyperlightgrifter @mals-chesthair @theodorepjames4 @edgiestwinter @findmeafterlife @magicalshepherdtreeprofessor @ohramsey

Permanent Tag list: @trappedinfandoms @oofchoices @agent-breakdance @rookie-ramsey @dailydoseofchoices @tyrilstouch @siaramsey @raleigheffingcarrera @theeccentricbibliophile @ac27dj @ramseysno1rookie @justanotherrookie @openheart12 @jamespotterthefirst @checkurwindow @chasingrobbie @junggoku @bellcat2010 @choicesstan1 @mvalentine @crazynutella @hatescapsicum @dr-ramseys-rookie @lilypills @choicesficwriterscreations @nooruleman @anonymously-cool @sanvivrma

Let me know if you wanna be added to the tag list

[themanicgalaxy]

SPN 6X18 Frontierland

I'm sorry, what the FUCk?

ooo good old fashioned showdown

DEAN?

what

oh that's a FUN OPENING CREDIT THOUGH

48 hours and 150 years later ahahaha

see no one talks about this but it looks fun so I'm scared

ah yes using Samuel's old library

ooo old photos

ah yes Research

phoenix

aww Sam laughed at Dean's quip

oh my god Samuel Colt's journal

aww DEAN'S SO EXCITED

"get your own"

"we'll star trek IV this bitch" SIR YOU'RE SUCH A NERD

OH MY GOD WHY DOES HE KNOW IT SO WELL

not Cas??

ah he sent a PA

please do not be weird about it

goddammit

no you are not his friend

yeah their relationship with Cas is kinda :(

aw Cas is here

"um about your plan" sHAHHA

"a series of partial differential equations" AHAHAHA

yeah ok fine a ticking time clock that's standard

DEAN IS SO EXCITED

oh my god he does have a fetish

HE had a crush on clint eastwood

DEAN IS HAVING SO MUCH FUN

THIS IS SO CUTE

that zoom in on the clock makes me sad Something's gonna happen

what the hell is happening to cas

ok so I catch up and then we go to the iconic man who would be king

tell me what happened

"you know what that is" *sam begins to bitch* "-Authenticity"

he's SO HAPPY

Sam actually doesn't do well when he's thrust into something else, Dean does. Dean wants escape, Sam wants control

ah

ah jeez

aw Sammy Colt

aw he was so happy about his blanket

HE INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS CLINT EASTWOOD

WALKER TEXAS RANGER

SADFIAHSDFAPSI AHAAHAHAHH

AHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAH

AHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA

MAN JUST WANTS TO PLAY OUT HIS FANTASIES

Spaghetti westerns were made in fucking italy dean of course they're not accurate

Sam smiling is also nice to see

the beauty standards were a lil bit different back then mate

that implication is Creepy

the sarsaparilla as a joke went the wrong way huh

...he's in a charred husk?

ah of course, monsters exist back then too

ah the person who got hanged

so more than just to set the tone, was also a part of the plot

"I love posse" AHAHAHAH

"make that into a t shirt"

very clever guys

AHAHA GO RIDE HORSES

ah yes left side

"that poor horse" AHAHAH

OO THE NICE SHOT

ah the horse knows

what makes a pheonix

what did he do?

WHY DID SHE GO STRAIGHT TO MURDER

HE KILLED HER?

oh no not the angel wing death shots

like those are so cool but Cas :(

noooo CASSS

AW CAS HAS HUMAN FRIENDS HE CAN GO TO

HE JUST COLLAPSES INTO BOBBY :((((

...dEan

Black trencoat

Dean

DEAN

here you get to be sheriff now

o H h h that's the opening scene

ah shti the dmeons

and devil's gate

mans had NO chill

he was so proud of that hat shot

I liked that hat shot

he's so excited

ahaha gank didn't exist as a slang term back then

Dean convinces the other bit of bait

oh my god and hunter doesn't exist as a term either

HIS PHONE AS PROOF OF 2011 OH

damn Sam just STRAIGHT up plays the future card

"there's no getting out" oop

"oh, that gun" heh

oh he's lying

heh Sam DEDUCED the demons :)

ah a soul

I LOVE BOBBY

ope there's the ghost

Iron?

ah he was going for his wife

and he killed his wife

man didn't die because monster

"so I gotta kill you" come on Dean have you learned nothing

"whoa I should have seen that coming"

aw Bobby

the SHOTS AHAHAAH

ABSOLUTELY NO HESITATION

YEAHHH

yes it's a problem it romanticizes violence I don't care

"yippee kay yay mother-"

no

GODDAMMIT

both Bobby and Cas are EXHAUSTED

COME THRUUU SAMUELLLLL

HOLY SHITTTT

they're all so sad and then it's the burnt up phone

thingamajig

THEY GOT IT

OH MY GOD

AHAHAHAAH

SOULONOSCOPY

this was GREAT ok

1. BOTH DEAN AND SAM GOT THEIR LITTLE MOMENTS. Dean with the iron and the human connections, Sam with the sulfur. Also, their difference to being in the past. Sam wanted to get the job done, he wasn't happy, but he impressed Samuel Colt with his hunting ability. He played up from the future, he was business first, and he wants out of hunting only when he's in control. Meanwhile Dean will take escape readily each time it's presented to him(maybe because he feels as though it's the only way out, and he doesn't know how to voluntarily leave?). He also 100% immerses himself into Not Hunting(first chance of escape), while Sam has slowly drifted into "I'm a hunter, no way out, this is my life now"

2. also kinda in the same vein, both of them had their moments, and both of them got to be a lil embarrassed. Not a lot, mostly a positive for both of them, but they got a lil bit of the other.

3. Cas having a support system for Whatever he did (please tell me what that is soon), being humans not connected to the conflict is so good. Especially Bobby, who just kinda...takes it and helps him and it's very nice. I wish we got a bit more of that, it would be a soldi way to keep Cas in story.

4. Dean is like. A grade A nerd. the man ONLY Communicates in forms of media. It's honestly absolutely adorable. Like boy he was SO Excited, he went all in, it was so cute and know, because of parasocial bonds, I was happy cuz he was happy, yk?

also it's nice having someone be allowed to be excited about something

5. also the cinnamon topography? was very nice this episode

6. that Colt thing at the end made me so happy, he was such a cool and complex old retired hunter man

[berrymeter]

idk anything about the grace period for deltarune u can just keep this ask in the attic until that’s over.. anyway.. i really liked chap 2 i played it in one sitting 😭 the rpg combat is enjoyable enough and just the right amount more complex than the undertale combat is, although not very difficult. very touching power of friendship moments minus that fucking bird man. some of the dialogue felt quite fandom tropey and surface-level, and queen’s lines (love her tho) were hit or miss for me. i think the biggest frustration i have with it is all the useless random encounter characters clogging up your world 😞😞 there’s only so many wacky one-liners toby can give them and i am not invested enough to care! also some of those designs are uglie!! there are better ways to make a world feel real and lived in. same thing happened with undertale.

BUT it was a great time! i liked the juxtaposition between the ultimately harmless antics and charming banter with the gang and queen, and the more sinister plot going on in the background. most obviously in the ending. toriel and susie making a pie while kris RIPS OUT THEIR SOUL….spoiler warning.. did u see the theory that the soul aka red heart is you the player operating kris the vessel? i’m definitely not a theorist but i like seeing all the loose plot ends i’m having a good time. i love noelleeeeee 💞💞💞💞and i liked susie a lot more this chapter. when ralsei taught her a healing spell 😖😖 i still don’t really care about ralsei though 😓

special shoutout to the spinning teacups ☕️☕️☕️ and special NOT-shoutout to the mice games with the rotating blocks i never understood how to do that.

it was a very feel-good game. it made me feel good. standards for video game passed. what did u think tho!! i mean i assume u liked it but for the same reasons? different ones? feel free to respond with an excruciatingly long essay of ur own <3 we are back to the tt anon blocks of text i restrained myself for a bit but we are back -tt

hiii tt anon <3 back at it again with the asks that i am looking forward to answering. if i post this a little before the 48 hours i will be forgiven bc i will use the deltarune spoilers tag and also the long post tag LMAOO anyway anyway oh btw never refrain urself from sending blocks of text if my followers are mad even though i tag them long post that's ON THEM. everything u say is worth listening to & same for everything i say so that's my final stance on this 😌

i also played it in one sitting it was so GOOD. i don't care that it was 2 am here when it was released i wasss ecstatic and the game was so fucking GOOD tonby the fox delivered!! it was so so worth the wait! the music was so much better than in chapter 1 imo, like... my castle town? the cyber fields theme? the queen's fight? spamton g spamton??? rouxls' "fight"?? BANGERS. i only see bangers. the new gameplay mechanics were also very fun!! i for one kinda struggled with the mice puzzles but not nearly as much as that one section with the traffic jams where you have to go down and back up or whatever. what the hell was that? i'm surprised i actually got past it. i loved the parts in cyber field though where you had to move on beat with the music that was sooo fun!! more of that! i prefer the fighting system in undertale ngl but it's mostly bc the undertale bosses are... just so good. the one boss who rivalises for now to me is queen, although rouxls is also very fun.

as for the story itself... i liked it :) susie & noelle are fucking ADORABLE. i think they deserve to be happy forever like not even together just individually as characters they're the fucking best. susie's grown so much that's my girl... wough... ralsei i do like but... i don't trust him :D i don't think he's evil but he knows too much and tells us too little until he can't keep it for himself and i don't like that. like bro you're gonna get us in trouble stop. but ALSO some ppl speculate that himself is being misled and that the fountains wouldn't bring the roaring, which is an interesting theory. (also i miss lancer being more relevant)

uhh kris is... well... kris... :)... yeah i did hear about that theory i'm in a discord server where ppl have been going on and on about theories since the game dropped LMAOO we're all insane. um. my personal theory is that there's another knight, or that kris is at least also influenced by an "evil force" or whatever, and we're the good force influencing them bc otherwise they're just a normal albeit mischievous kid. and the stretch part is that uhhh there's two knight pieces on a chessboard, ik this isn't about chess at all but king of spades does tell you at the end of chapter 2 that you'll meet a more powerful foe = the queen, coincidentally in chess the queen is stronger than the king. hmmmmmmmmmmm. lmao i don't think my parallel here is right but it's fun to think about anyway

did you see the superboss? i didn't fight him myself but he's so fun. also @ everyone who said he's gonna be a tumblr sexyman i hate that you're right shut that shit down HJKSNFKJSDHG. also did you see the secret fucked up pipis route? it's horrible. genuinely... i watched a streamer play it and 😳 uh. well i didn't even hate berdly before anyway yeah he's annoying but like he's a snot-beaked kid i'm not gonna wish him... whatever happens in this route. legit scarring. and poor noelle... pffbbgtbg. hate this so much. but i think it was done so bad and horrible on purpose, with how specific your gameplay has to be for you to be able to complete it tonby really was like "you wanna be an asshole? undertale wasn't enough? fine. work for it. and also suffer" nskjshf. i'm never doing it <3

lastly FUCKING QUEEN!!!!!!! QUEEN MY LOVE!!!!! BEST CHARACTER. i love her sosososo much it's unreal. and i didn't mind any character designs much, i'm not too complicated in that regard shfkjsdfh i love the tasques and tasque manager though :) also the... idk their names... the butler dudes? they're so cute. swatch's design is neat

so those are my thoughts <3 can't wait to hear more from u!!!

[minniewoos]

A Little Pick-Me-Up ➣ Hwang Hyunjin

Genre: highschool au, slice of life, fluff

Pairing: hyunjin x reader

Word Count: 1,961

Summary: Hyunjin gets a little worried after he heard you fainted at school.

From Jinnie [11:36]: hey, why aren't u in class?

From Jinnie [11:37]: Y/N

From Jinnie [11:37]: y/n

From Jinnie [11:37]: y/f/n answer me

From Jinnie [11:38]: ….

From Jinnie [11:38]: .......................

From Jinnie [11:41]: AHHHHH

From Jinnie [11:42] WHY R U IN THE NURSES OFFICE

From Jinnie [11:42]: Lix just told me T.T

From Jinnie [11:42]: I'm seeing ur ass after class

To Jinnie [11:46]: I just passed out you loser

To Jinnie [11:46]: stop spamming

From Jinnie [11:48]: :(

To Jinnie [11:48]: no need to worry so calm down :(

The nurse's office was quiet other than the sound of the nurse printing papers in the room next door. You set your phone down once you figured Hyunjin wasn't going to reply back and decided to just rest for a while. You sighed as you rubbed your head, a headache was coming on, and you hoped it didn't become a migraine. School nurses mostly didn't do much, but at least they let you lay down on the beds in the other room. They were uncomfortable and leathery, but they did the job.  

Bright white light shone through the window in the room, and really just annoyed you. So you reached over to shut the blinds, rattling against each other as they fell over the window. You scanned the room, grateful that your school had a separate room for a place to rest. Otherwise, you probably would've gone insane from sitting in a room with your school nurse for longer than five minutes. Not that she was unkind, but just a little weird. Her large eyes gave her the appearance of a frightening bug, and the woman had a tendency to stare. You shivered.

Laying down once more, you closed your eyes to get some peace in the quaint room. And at some point, despite the hard lumpy bed, you drifted off to sleep.

That is until your door was creaked open and your good old buddy old pal Hyunjin came in. And he was a loud motherfucker.

"Tell me what happened! Are you okay?? Oh--shit you're sleeping…" His loud voice dwindled when he noticed you sleeping. He needlessly covered his mouth with his hand before stepping inside and quietly shutting the door behind him. He did so with a little more pomp and circumstance than required.

"Well, I was sleeping until somebody came in." You acted annoyed and sat up, rolling your eyes at him with an impish smile.

Hyunjins shoulders raised and he smiled apologetically before he sat on the bed across from yours, elbows resting on his knees. You crossed your legs and faced him, then a look of confusion crossed your face.

"Wait. How'd you get in here? The nurses don't let-"

"She was sleeping." He winked and chuckled, leaning forward comfortably.

"Good, her eyes freak me out." You scoffed.

A weird look crossed Hyunjins face, and he cringed, "Ah, actually...she sleeps with her eyes open…"

"You're kidding!" Your jaw dropped, and the creepy image passed through your head. A shudder ran down your spine, and you shook your head to rid the image.

"No, I'm not joking. It was freaky." He shook his head, lips still curled back in unease. Then he looked at you for a moment, "But seriously, I'm glad you're doing okay."

"...yea, thanks for checking up." It warmed your heart to see that Hyunjin actually came to see you. You smiled at him, "It means a lot."

"Um, of course, what kind of friend would I be?" He teased. "So, tell me what happened. All Felix knew was that you passed out last class."

A heavy sigh escaped your lips, and your eyes trailed down, "You're gonna make fun of me."

"Me? Make fun of you? No, never." Sarcasm dripped off his tongue.

"Oh, shut up you loser." You threw the unfluffed pillow at him, which he caught anyway.

"Fine, but really tell me." He hugged the pillow and looked at you, earnestly, "You really worried me when I heard."

You smiled at Hyunjin, the butterflies in your stomach were flying all around at his comment. This boy really did cause your stomach to do flips and all kinds of tricks, in all honesty, you felt like a lovesick fool around him. But he just made you too happy to not be so touched by his actions. He may be a little dumb sometimes...and a little annoying, but you wouldn't have it any other way. Hyunjin continually shows that he genuinely cares about you, which you appreciate greatly. And this was another thing to add to the "Reasons why Hyunjin is Perfect" book.

"Okay okay, fine." you sigh and shrug limply, "I overworked myself."

Hyunjins brows furrowed, "That's it?"

You glared at him.

"No no no, I didn't mean it like that." Hyunjin straightened his back and waved his hands in front of him dismissively. "I mean, you're embarrassed about that?"

"Well, yea…" You rubbed your arm. "Fainting in the middle of class is kind of embarrassing, its a lot of unwanted attention and all because I thought I could do more than I was capable of. I wasn't sleeping or eating or resting and...yea."

"Hey it's okay," Hyunjin encouraged, "It wasn't more than you were capable of, it just shows you have big ambitions! You just need to learn to take care of yourself better, got it? You're one of the hardest working people I know, and I don't want you putting yourself down."

When you wouldn't answer or look him in the eye, Hyunjin stood up. You weren't sure what he was doing since you could only see his feet and legs, but when you lifted your chin up, you saw him with arms wide open. A soft look in his eyes and welcoming arms, he was offering you a hug. And you began to tear up at the touching gesture.

You sniffed once, then twice, then basically sprang up to tackled him in a hug. The stress you've been accumulating just pouring out of you all at once. The tears came quickly, and in a steady stream, as you buried your face in his chest, his arms wrapped securely around you. You were sure you looked like a mess, you could see it now. Red face, messy hair, shaky breaths. Yet Hyunjin rubbed your back calmly, whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

It was hard to tell how long you cried into his shoulder, it could've been a couple minutes to a half hour. But you were absolutely grateful to Hyunjin at that moment. You were about to make a comment on how he was your steady rock, but you heard a sniffle. And it wasn't from you.

"If you keep crying, then you're gonna make me cry." Hyunjin laughed as he wiped the small tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh, you're just a big soft sweetheart." You cooed teasingly and pinched his cheek, your sniffles turning into amused giggles. Hyunjin grimaced and swatted your hand away gently, but then wiped the tears from your stained cheeks.

"I'm okay with being a softy if that's what it takes to keep you happy." Hyunjin smiled at you once again, igniting the feeling of butterflies in your stomach.

You rested your head on his chest and mumbled, "If it's you, I'll always be happy."

Hyunjin untangled himself from your grasp excitedly. The look on his face only meant mischief, "Oh, I just got an idea!!"

"What what what?" You asked, taken aback by his sudden liveliness.

"How about we," He smiled roguishly, glancing towards the door before back at you "skip the rest of our classes for the day. And go out for something to eat."

"Well," You began, unsure. "I want to catch up on homework, and I still have that project due next week."

Hyunjin gave you a look, deadpanned and wry. "Really? Okay, I'll convince you. You need to eat since you just passed out, and I'll treat you to some quality food at like, Denny's or iHop or something. Then afterward, we'll just chill and hang out. Which, in the long run, will reduce stress levels and make you more productive later. Okay?"

The room was silent for a while as you thought about it, a frown settling onto your face. That it until Hyunjin pouted at you, and you were hooked.

"Ugh, okay fine, I'll go!" You sighed while Hyunjin silently celebrated his tiny victory, his arms shot up straight in the air. Despite your hesitation to go, seeing Hyunjin so animated got you laughing along with him as well.

It wasn't hard to sneak past the nurse, she was still sleeping. And Hyunjin wasn't kidding when he said he slept with her eyes open; she was still sat up and staring. But even calling her name didn't faze her.

You and Hyunjin shared a look before laughing and slipping past the door. Even leaving the school wasn't hard at all. You just walked out, and that was that. You were surprised.

"It's that easy?" You wondered, "And you seem to know what you're doing."

"It's all in the confidence, if you look suspicious, then they will be suspicious. Honestly, I've never skipped in the middle of class before." Hyunjin laughed and fished out his car keys. "But you couldn't tell, right?"

You shook your head, "I was beginning to think you skipped regularly."

"Nope." He feigned offense and look down at you, hand on his chest and nose all scrunched up. "What, you think I'm some kind of thug??"

With eyebrows raised in amusement, you snorted at the thought. Hyunjin was not thug material, and he knew that. You gave Hyunjin a quick up and down look, "Definitely not."

Once in the car, Hyunjin focused on getting the two of you to your destination in one piece. While you were left the responsibility of being DJ, so you hooked your phone up and began scrolling through your music.

While picking between playlists, your phone rumbled, and you got a text. Mildly interested, you switched your attention to that conversation instead.

From Lix [12:51]: Hey hey hey y/n :P

To Lix [12:51]: lol what is it?

From Lix [12:52]: Did Hyunjin tell you?

To Lix [12:52]: what?

From Lix [12:53]: He was tearing up when he heard you fainted, he was v worried about you

From Lix: [12:53]: He kinda looked like a lost puppy lol, v sweet

Well, Hyunjin didn't tell you that, but you wouldn't put it past him. You knew Hyunjin had a soft heart, and it honestly touched you how worried he got about you. But that wouldn't stop you from teasing the hell out of the poor boy. You grinned to yourself as you thought up a reply. Before you could, Felix beat you to it.

From Lix [12:55]: You guys should just date already lol

You sputtered as you took a quick glance at Hyunjin driving, blushed, and looked back down at your phone. The thought of dating Hyunjin has definitely crossed your mind before, and it surely was now.

To Lix [12:55]: pay attention in class.

After replying, you chose a random playlist and shut your phone off, not wanting Felix to get you even more nervous. But you did take the opportunity to tease your buddy, "So...Felix just told me you were tearing up after you heard I fainted?"

"Ah…" Hyunjin sighed, but you saw the tips of his ears growing pink, "Felix should learn to withhold some information."

"No, no, I think he's perfectly fine." You laughed, looking at him endearingly. "Besides, it's sweet. You're my little worrywart."

Hyunjin smiled at your words, and he glanced at you, stars in his eyes, "As long as I'm yours."

A/N: I’m so slow at requests wow lol. But yea, this was a request from an anon! Hope you enjoyed it hehe, it was something quick to post while I work on my bigger projects too

[pluto-art]

Syncytium - Chapter 3

Title: Syncytium - Chapter 3 - Sodium Bicarbonate Words: 7,115 Rating: T

Fan Fiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13712482/3/Syncytium

As always, I recommend the fan fiction version, which includes all italics. Other than that, enjoy the full story below the cut!

September 16th, 1993 - 11:48 PM

Two little feet raced pitter-patter down a chatter-filled hallway in A.C.M.E. Arts & Sciences, its occupant laden with pen and petition, eagerly calling out to any hapless individual that came her way as that ever-present tam-o-shanter bounced atop her head.

"Signatures! Come put down your signatures! Sign the petition! Bring baseball back to A.C.M.E.!" Olivia called out, her little jingle ringing in its thick Scottish accent down the corridor and bouncing off the walls. "Baseball for all! Hear you shout! Let them know or we'll strike out!"

Like a fuzzy brown bullet she shot through the school, passing students and teachers, janitors and gym instructors, nearly running into the wall on two occasions, and receiving a sharp reprimand of "Watch it!" or "Land sakes!" from those whose book pages and scarves she ruffled on her flight down the hallways.

"Let your voice be heard! Put your name down! Have a- OOF!"

Olivia gasped as she landed on the hard, linoleum floor, having been knocked back by something tall and firm. She shook her head and looked up... and up... and up, into the stern face of Basil, teacher of Advanced Science and Deduction. Even for a mouse he was rather lanky, towering above Globetrotter and practically a giant to Olivia. The only other mouse in the school who reached his height was Pinky. He glared at her, one eyebrow cocked in silent judgement as he peered down from above, a great slab of papers cradled snugly against his side.

"Oh...," Olivia mumbled, gulping as she quickly stood up, face scrunching, and shook off her clothes, her little tam-o-shanter and petition laying very sorrowfully at her feet.

Basil sighed.

"Young lady," he began, bending down to pick up her hat and place it securely back on her head. "This is the third time this week we've met under unnecessarily chaotic circumstances and it's become... rather an interference in my daily schedule. Would you kindly keep harnessed certain frivolities at play, Miss Flabbergast?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Basil," Olivia muttered shyly, and not unkindly. "I'll be more careful."

She picked her clipboard with petition up off the floor, a little embarrassed.

"Sign my petition...?" she ventured, holding up the paper for Basil to see. He bent down to get a closer look at it.

"What's this for?" he asked.

"It's for a baseball stadium!"

"Baseball stadium?"

"Yes!" Olivia said, nodding excitedly. "So we can get sports back to the school!"

"Sports?" Basil nipped, practically spitting out the word as though it was a nasty slur. "Miss Flim-Flam, the last thing this university of science and culture needs is a bunch of dimwitted degenerates galloping about chasing after a ball. You'd do better to abandon the whole matter, in my opinion."

Olivia hung her head.

"But I doubt it will amount to anything," he continued, picking lint off his cardigan in a snooty fashion. "The most you could hope for is ten signatures, at least. Continue on your hapless venture if you must."

"Really?!"

"Yeeees yes yes. Now, run along."

"Thank you, Mr. Basil! I'll get more than ten. You'll see!"

"Jolly good," Basil replied curtly, sarcastically, pausing to flick a piece of dirt off Olivia's jacket. "Good day to you."

Olivia watched him as he went, his long shoes snapping click, click, click against the floor. She drew out a long breath of utter relief. Basil was fairer than Globetrotter. Anyone was fairer than Globetrotter. However, he still could get a bit cross when rubbed the wrong way, and it certainly wasn't the first time she'd gotten on his irritable side. She'd have to be more careful.

And so, as she continued her trek down the school hallways, calling out as she went (a bit more quietly this time), she jogged rather than sprinted, slipping between passerby with an "Excuse me" or "Pardon" and taking extra precaution not to bump into any more teachers, especially Globetrotter...

"Petition! Come you all and sign! Redefine!"

Maisy tossed Olivia an annoyed glance as she ran past, huffing a little and flipping back her hair as she dug through her locker.

"Since when did the principle allow kids to run around the school? I didn't think he'd be cool with that," she muttered.

Next to her, a chocolate-furred mouse leaned against his adjacent locker, deep in silent conversation as he texted rapidly on his phone.

"Why do you care?" he asked, not looking up at her.

"I dunno. It's just... This is like... a high-profile university, right? There shouldn't be any kids."

"We're kids."

"Um... Excuse me. I'm like... nineteen."

"Yeah. That's young, Maisy."

"Whatever," she spat, flicking her hair back again as she found what she was looking for: a red pencil with yellow flower print slapped all over it.

"Olivia is Flaversham's daughter," Gadget spoke from across the hall at her own locker, snapping her bulbous goggles atop her head as a matter-of-fact. "Everyone knows that." Tillie nodded next to her.

"Okay, but, like...," Maisy continued, pulling out a journal and tucking it under her arm, "... he works. When does he have time to watch her? He just lets her run around the school?"

"Well, isn't Mrs. Judson her nanny?" Tillie offered helpfully, albeit rather quietly. "I think that-"

Several students sprinted by. Tillie paused to let them pass before continuing.

"I think that she watches her in the nurse's office most of the day and lets her run errands."

"Yeah, but-," Maisy began, before being cut off herself as another batch of students trundled by, and then another. "But that doesn't give her leave to just-" More students. "To just run around whenever she-" Even more students. By this point, she could barely even see Gadget and Tillie. "Oh my gosh! I hate not having neighboring lockers!"

"It's lunchtime, Maisy," the male mouse said beside her, closing his phone with a sharp snap. "We should get going."

"Ugh. Fine. I'm starving anyway."

And so off they went, quartet heading for the cafeteria at the prompt hour of 12:00 PM, taking care not to bump into anyone as they entered the huge room.

Unlike the rest of the school, this area was terribly outdated. Or, rather, it had none of the classiness that the majority of the facility offered. Far from being dressed up in a mahogany coat, with comfortable seating, double-pane windows, and classical music that pumped itself like oxygen through the more casual areas of the building, the cafeteria resembled nothing less than something vomited out of an 80s shopping mall. The blue and purple paneling; the flashing neon food signs; the Whitney Houston music trapped perpetually within the speakers. It had it all. Students called it "The Flashback" or "The Blot", depending on who you talked to. The space had been heavily renovated a decade ago in an attempt to reflect the aesthetic at the time, and if the principal in office hadn't been ousted at the time for his radical ways the facility may very well have looked quite different by this point. As it stood, the cafeteria was an eye sore for some, a breath of fresh air for others, and it was a popular spot in which to congregate. If nothing else, the music was a relief. There was only so much Chopin one could take.

Chatter filled the dining area as the quartet entered. Already the tables were filling up, the smell of pizza and dumplings heavy in the air. Once upon a time, the food had reflected the decor: posh, healthy, and expensive. And then, of course, the cafeteria had been renovated, and with it the menu. No one had ever bothered to change the hot dogs back to ham; the grilled cheese back to caviar. Lemon sherbet tasted much better than shitake, and the students liked it that way.

"Think they're gonna have the jelly sauce again today?" Gadget asked, standing up on tip-toe to peer over at the food counter.

"Ew. Gosh. I hope not. That stuff is gro- HO MY GOSH," gasped Maisy.

"What?" Gadget asked, looking around, eyes wide. She hoped another wasp hadn't broken into the cafeteria again. Two had welcomed themselves in in the last week and she didn't think she could handle the stress another day.

"He's here," Maisy stressed, clutching at her heart and grabbing hold of Gadget's shoulder rather tightly.

Tillie and Gadget followed her gaze all the way across the floor to the food bar. There stood Pinky, dressed today in lab pants and a blue and gray striped shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Had it not been for the ridiculously long white lab pants that spilled over his shoes, Gadget thought he might have looked rather fetching. As it stood, though, he didn't. Maisy thought otherwise.

"Ugh. He's so hot."

"So hot he melts your brains?" the male mouse quipped, back to texting on his phone.

Maisy shot him a nasty look. Tillie didn't even notice.

"Wow. Clam chowder special," she mused, completely serious as she stared, astonished, at the counter.

"You're focusing on the food?!" Maisy exclaimed, flabbergasted. Tillie remained oblivious.

"Oh, I hope Mrs. Brisby isn't too early today. I rather like lunch break...," Tillie mused, loosening her shawl a little.

"But you also like her classes," said Gadget, smiling.

"I do. They're fun."

"Learning about weeds is fun?" asked Maisy.

"Agriculture is more interesting than you think it would be! You should try it sometime. It's fun!"

"Tillie, the only fun thing about this school is the lunch break."

The dark-furred he mouse with them rolled his eyes, his hands in his pockets.

"Seriously, Maisy? Not even the Chemistry class is interesting?" he mentioned, incredulous.

"Okay, well, that is a little bit interesting..."

The he mouse sighed.

"You're incredible. Our parents are paying good money for this school. You should be grateful. Come on. Let's stake a seat."

A few tables down, a gaggle of mice, moles, and a rat or two sat, chattering loudly. One of them, a black-haired mouse in a frilly, once-piece dress, sash around the middle and dark hair tied up in a bun, stood up in her chair and waved in their direction.

"Maaaaaaisy, girl! Come on! We've been waiting for you!"

"GIIIIRL! I was just about to ditch these losers! Gimme a sec!" Maisy called back, beaming. "Sorry, guys. I gotta go."

"Wha-..? But I thought we were gonna-" the male mouse began, taken aback.

"Sorry, Dex. I forgot I'd promised Marvell I'd be here at noon. We'll catch up later, I promise. Okay?"

"Yeah. Sure...," Dex shrugged dejectedly.

"Thanks, Dex. Bye, y'all!" said Maisy, and she ran off to join the loquacious group.

"Bye, loser!" Gadget joked back, shaking her head. "Airhead."

"Remind me why we hang out with her again?" Tillie asked, as the remaining three headed for the food bar.

Gadget shrugged.

"She's been my friend since middle school. I'd feel weird just ditching her."

"You wouldn't be missing much," Dex muttered, although there was a hesitancy in his voice.

Gadget threw him a sideways glance as she grabbed a tray, Tillie and Dex following suit.

"You know that's not true, Dex. She's a bit into herself, but you know she loves you."

Dex shrugged.

One by one, a steady line of students at the bar filed past the counter, picking off a box of salad here, a cup of macaroni there. Things reached a stand still at the chili bowl. Dex and Gadget stood up on tip-toe for a couple seconds, flattened back out on their feet, stared at each other, and rolled their eyes, sniggering. But of course...

The hold up, as per the norm, was Pip, one of the restaurant hands and the only chipmunk in the entire school. He was terribly chatty, not to mention contentious if you dared complain about any aspect of the food. Either something was wrong and he needed to comment on it, or someone he recognized as a friend had just crossed his path. Judging by the chipper tone of his voice, Gadget guessed it was the latter today.

"So what's with this petition? Lemme see that paper, sister!"

And he whipped from someone's hand a petite clipboard entrusted with several sheets of lined paper. He read through it quickly, nose almost touching the paper.

Gadget, Dex, and Tillie peered around the crowd ahead of them to see who had handed him the paper. Oh. Naturally.

There stood Olivia, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as Pip perused her petition, a wide, expectant smile on her face. Was there no place she wouldn't invade?

"Hmmm," Pip mused, tapping his foot a mile a minute as his keen eyes roved over the paper one more time. "Weeeeeeell, I don't usually sign these things, buuuuut... baseball sounds like a worthy cause. Ya' got a pen?"

"Here you go!" Olivia squeaked happily, extracting from the inside of her coat pocket a blue pen and offering it to Pip. He took it swiftly and signed the petition just as fast.

"Just make sure you get me a position as umpire!" Pip said, handing her back the petition and pen.

"Oh, I will! Thank you!"

"Say, uhhhh... how many signatures you got on that thing so far?"

"Twenty-three!"

"Heeeeeey. That's not bad!"

"Come on, Pip!" a student piped up, brows furrowed.

"Yeah, we've got class!" a girl vole squeaked from behind the trio.

"All right, all right already! Sheesh!" Pip nipped back, rolling his eyes. "Hey. You keep gettin' those John Hancocks, okay?" he said, winking at Olivia.

"Um... Okay!"

And with that, she was off, not even bothering to grab an apple or a cracker, something that others cast glances at her for. Olivia passing up an opportunity to nab some food? She must mean business...

"She's so cute," Gadget mused, watching Olivia sprint around, on the hunt for more signatures, as she moved up a couple steps in line.

"Yeah," Dex said, arms folded. "She's a trip." Despite himself, he smiled after her. Little kids amused him sometimes, even if they could be a bit pesky underfoot.

As more students spilled into the cafeteria, fingers pointed, some quite shamelessly, in the direction of the food bar. Dex followed the invisible lines to a spot some paces behind them in line. But of course. They were all directed at the new teacher, Ronald Pinkus. The girls seemed particularly smitten, giggling and whispering and acting, in Dex's mind, perfectly idiotic. In fact, come to think of it, as he looked about the room, most of the girls were in deep conversation, their eyes trained on the same subject in the room, including Maisy's group. He shook his head. This was a university, not a middle school. Daftness came in all ages, he supposed.

"What?" Gadget queried, taking notice of the furrowed brow and the folded arms.

"Nothing," Dex muttered, shuffling forward a few paces as the line moved ahead. Both he and Gadget grabbed a plate of chocolate cake.

Gadget looked back at the new teacher and snickered.

"Don't let it get to you."

"She's just as bad as everyone else."

"Who? Maisy?"

"Yeah..."

Gadget shrugged.

"It's probably just a phase. Next week she'll fall for Basil again or someone."

Trays full, they set off to find a table. Tillie waved at them from a corner. They headed towards her.

"I dunno. I kinda...," Dex began, then stopped as they reached the table, sitting down with their trays. Tillie was already deep in her bowl of clam chowder.

"You what?" Gadget asked as she pulled her chair up.

"It's... whatever."

"What?"

Dex picked up his spoon, swirled it around in his own bowl of clam chowder, then set it down. Screw it. He grabbed his fork and dug into the chocolate cake instead.

"I miss when we used to hang out more."

"What are we talking about now?" Tillie asked, only half-interested.

No one said anything right away. Gadget picked at her sunflower seed salad for a minute, then spoke.

"You're her brother. She'll come back around eventually."

Dex shrugged again. He was about to shove another large piece of chocolate cake into his mouth when something lightly bumped his elbow. He turned and looked down. It was Olivia.

"Sign my petition?" she asked, her little whiskers upturned in a wide smile.

Dex couldn't help but mirror that infectious grin. In the distance, something... someone... caught his eye. It was Maisy. She frowned at him and shook her head. Dex frowned back. He took the clipboard and pen from Olivia's outstretched paws.

"You know what? Sure, kid. Baseball, right?"

"Uh-huh! We're going to have a mascot again, too! I hope..."

He handed her back the clipboard and pen and ruffled her hair, or, rather, the top of her tam-o-shanter.

"Break a leg, kid."

"Thank you!" she beamed, and off she went.

Dex smiled. In the background, Maisy shook her head. Dex snapped his fingers and winked, finger-gunning her. She rolled her eyes and went back to talking to her friends.

"Ugh. He's such a tease," complained Maisy to her company, twirling a strand of her long, golden hair as she sipped soda through a straw.

"He just cares about other people. Heck, I signed her petition," the black-furred mouse said. "How come you never hang out with your brother anymore? He's been lookin' kinda sad..."

"He's not even my real brother, Marvell. He's just my half-brother. You know that. Do we look like we're related?"

"But y'all used to be so close! What happened?"

Maisy shrugged.

"I dunno. We just... shifted."

"Don't you mean 'drifted'?" offered up a boy rat next to her.

"Whatever," Maisy shrugged. "Anyway, what do you guys think of him?" she smirked, jerking her head in the direction of Pinky still in line at the food bar.

All at the table turned their heads to look at him. He seemed to be picking out quite an odd assortment of foods: a hot dog, two cups of custard, and several pieces of cheese - just cheese. Every person that passed him a "hello" he greeted with a chipper "Good morning!", and his attitude towards the servers was polite and enthusiastic. Those around him couldn't seem to keep the smiles off their faces. Even the students generally known to be more reserved or stuck up couldn't help but throw him a curious glance. He was, for lack of a better term, "sunshine-y".

The boy rat popped several corn puffs in his mouth, his dry expression unchanged.

"He's kind of a twink, isn't he?"

Maisy slapped him on the shoulder playfully.

"He is not!"

"Dude. Come on..."

"He's not that young," Marvell said, filing her nails as another of their group, a white mouse in a red shirt and with a yellow sash tied about his neck, came and sat down beside her, a cup full of fizzy raspberry water tottering dangerously on the edge of his tray. "He is kinda cute, though..."

The white mouse set down his tray carefully... but not carefully enough. Slip went the cup, the mouse grabbing it before its contents could spill out entirely.

"AH!" Marvell yelped, jumping a little. "Stuart, that's the second time this week!"

"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry, Marvell!" the little mouse said, apologizing profusely as he skittered off towards the food bar. "I'll go get some napkins!"

"Awww, man. I just washed this," lamented Marvell, picking up a corner of her frilly blue frock, now tainted with fizz. "Well... At least it's just water. I can work with this, right? Looks kinda... sassy?"

The boy rat sat up, the better to look at Marvell's new fashion statement. The water had painted the rounded edges of one side of the dress. It could have passed for an interesting pattern if one squinted hard enough.

"Yeah, sure. You could pass it off as the new look," he suggested, smiling.

"Hm," Marvell replied, smirking as she sat back down, ringing out the dress edge.

Maisy didn't seem the least bit phased.

"I think he's kinda hot," she said, eyelashes fluttering as she sipped at her soda noisily.

"Hotter than Globetrotter?" sniggered the boy rat.

"Okay, Globetrotter's in his own league. Okay? I can never compete with that."

"Ummm...," Marvell mumbled, covering her mouth in a vain attempt to hide her embarrassed smile as she pointed to a figure behind Maisy's back.

"What?" Maisy asked, craning around slightly to look before swiftly turning back 'round in her seat again, shoulder hunched as she visibly blushed. "Oh my gosh," she whispered, burying her face in her hands.

The boy rat beside her could barely hide his laughter as Globetrotter walked past them, his nose deep in a very thick, very red, and very heavy-looking book. Had he actually been paying attention to their conversation Maisy might have had more reason to involuntarily add a bit of color to her cheeks. As it stood, however, he had not, and so continued towards the bar, oblivious to the fact that he was now fifth in line behind Pinky.

"That's astounding!" Pinky exclaimed, tray of food all but forgotten as he leaned across a glass awning in front of him, totally invested in Pip's latest story. "But... how were you able to keep the syrup layer from separating?"

"Oh, that's easy!" Pip replied, and on and on he went.

Two students ahead of Pinky peered back, interested. Others behind him simply chuckled... or tapped their foot impatiently. To Globetrotter it was complete gibberish. The culinary arts was a branch he rarely dabbled in unless absolutely necessary. Although I do make a mean rigatoni, he thought to himself before shaking his head disgustedly. Where the heck did that come from? He was supposed to be engulfed in Brownian Motion and Stochastic Calculus, but, as it stood, he found his attention inexplicably pulled towards a much... lesser subject. It was unfathomable how anyone could be so intrigued by such mundane topics as the properties of pancakes and how effectively one might prepare them, but the fanaticism with which his coworker now described it was almost... infectious. Nevertheless, Globetrotter frowned as he checked his watch. 12:18 PM. They were wasting precious time. He was wasting his precious time.

"Will you move along already!" he called out, voice peppered with vexation. "I've got class in twenty-seven minutes!"

"Oh! So sorry!" Pinky called back, paws quickly grabbing hold of his tray once more. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Pip. Good luck with your pancakes!"

"Same to you, my good man!" Pip squeaked back. "What a pleasant fellow," he muttered to himself, smiling as Pinky walked off towards the refreshments bar, laden with food.

Globetrotter huffed and moved forward, grabbing a single bowl of fruit and a cup of cottage cheese on his way down. As he passed the pasta section, he paused, reached out a hesitant paw towards a plate of spaghetti, then quickly snapped it back, sighing and frowning sadly as he moved on to the refreshments, grabbing a banana on his way over and angrily slapping it down on his tray.

He stopped beside Pinky, who was humming and pouring himself some English Breakfast tea. Globetrotter huffed again. Flavored water - a poor man's excuse for caffeine. How anyone could drink that stuff was beyond him. He went for the coffee, pulled down the carafe lever... and grumbled. Empty.

"Is there any place in this building that can afford a mouse a decent cup of coffee?!" he whined, popping his empty cup back onto the others.

"Oh, that's a shame there, isn't it? Have you tried the tea, Brain?" Pinky offered helpfully, as he popped a lid on his own steaming cup.

"I refuse to bow my knee to such a lowbrow form of refreshment," Globetrotter bit back, picking up his tray. "And it's Brian, you nincompoop."

"Well, how do you know you don't like it if you don't try it? Poit!" Pinky replied, unfazed by the retort.

"If I liked it I'd drink it. Good day to you."

And off he went, choosing a spot as far back in the room as possible, Pinky sadly watching him as he picked out a table devoid of occupants. Pinky looked back at the empty coffee cup, a light whimper escaping him as he stared at it dolefully. He turned back to focus on Globetrotter, who was once more lost in his big red book. Students who sat nearby gave him as wide of a berth as they could. Pinky's ears drooped. What a sad little man, he thought. But it wasn't long before they perked back up again. Why, yes. Of course! Beaming, he set his tray down at an occupied table ("Watch this for me, will you?"), and rushed out of the cafeteria, leaving several students at the table to stare after him, puzzled.

Flip. Globetrotter turned a page of his massive tome, popping a grape in his mouth and crunching down on it satisfactorily. Flip, flip, flip. He looked to his right. A girl mouse sat nearby, also buried in a book. A huge pink bow sat atop her head. He recognized her. She was one of his students. Teresa, her name was, if he recalled correctly. She was one of his brighter subjects, but struggled with the occasional mathematical theory. As it was, her nose practically brushed the pages of a book that Globetrotter recognized by sight alone: Calculus by Gilbert Strang. Teresa sighed deeply, her unironed brow effectively relaying her frustration. She looked up... and jumped a little as she noticed Globetrotter staring at her, a light pink almost the exact color of her bow kissing her cheeks. Globetrotter slowly ducked back into his own texts, his peripheral vision catching Teresa shifting her seat over a notch in embarrassment.

A paw reached out to grab for his coffee, and he looked up when it touched nothing. Right. No coffee... Sighing, he popped another grape in his mouth, biting into it rather harder than necessary. Nearby, at another table, several students whispered.

"Did you find out what he teaches?" a girl vole asked, her question laced with ardor.

"Yup. He teaches Trozology," replied a male rat next to her, a pair of thick headphones hung about his neck.

"What the heck is that?" voiced another female rodent at their table, a cream-furred mouse decked out in purple - purple shirt; purple pants; purple socks; purple everything.

"I dunno," the rat shrugged. "Sounds kinda cool, though."

Globetrotter frowned. His ears twitched as tinkling laughter echoed from another table beside him.

"I knooooooow. He's so cute!" chuckled a rosy pink-eared mouse. She spoke in a barely-contained whisper along with the rest of her group, all of which sported bulky backpacks laid out on their table and decorated with all sorts of patches, stickers, and keychains. "I hope I can get a spot in his class!"

"I think he still has slots open!" one of her friends, a field rat, spoke up. "As far as I know, though, no one's actually signed up."

"Whyyyyyy? He's adorable! I'm gonna sign up just so I can stare at that face every day," a girl hamster said.

"What if you don't even like the class?" the second friend spoiled. "Maybe it's a dud. And we don't really have time in our schedules for another course..."

They all paused sadly and contemplatively at this. Then the first girl perked up.

"Well, I guess we'll get him all to ourselves then. If no one else likes the class then we'll stay just for the teacher!"

"Yeah, until every other girl does the same thing. You know we're not the only ones with the hots for him," the hamster said, taking a swig from her soda bottle.

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to fight for him," smiled the rat nonchalantly as she picked at her nails.

"Fight for him?!" yelped the other girls, covering their mouths at their loudness. "Oh my gosh. Seriously?!"

"Yeah! Anyone who comes up, we'll tell 'em to meet us at the park at two. No knives. Just like... nail clippers and hair curlers or something..."

"No no! Wait! We tell them to meet us at the baseball stadium!" offered the hamster, soda pop forgotten.

"You mean the one Olivia's petitioning?" the girl mouse asked. "It's not even built yet!"

"Yeah, but when it is we can tell them to meet there!"

"Winner gets dibs. They get to call first date," said the rat.

"And the loser has to pay for the dinner tab."

"Yeah!"

"Oh my gosh, you guys are so funny," the mouse chuckled.

They all laughed gaily.

Globetrotter's frown deepened, his mouth hanging open, another grape suspended in mid-air. Was Pinkus really... that popular? He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the conversations now swimming about his consciousness, when yet another light exchange, a distant one this time, caught his ears.

"... thinking of actually dropping Globetrotter's class to take that Ronald guy's one. It's just as many credits. Probably way more fun."

Globetrotter gulped. He tried reading a sentence in his book, only to find that he kept gracing the same words over and over and over again. Blast it. He couldn't concentrate. He plopped the book down on the table and went to devouring his cottage cheese, all around him oblivious to the private war going on in his mind.

Why do you care what they think? They're kids. They're idiots.

Yes, and have you forgotten what happened when Basil came to the school two years ago? They went gah-gah over him, too.

They didn't all abandon my class!

Nooooo, but half of them did. And Basil taught a required course at the time. Same as yours. They all went for his. He was much more interesting than you.

That's neither here nor there! I'm still employed, aren't I? My class is still sought after.

For now, and only because it's required. This new guy is significantly more popular. What if his class becomes required? What if it's worse than before? What if you become... old hat?

"No!" Globetrotter yelled, out loud. Half the cafeteria paused to stare at him. He sunk in his seat a little. How embarrassing...

In mock resoluteness, he grabbed the book before him and went back to reading. But he was only truly pretending to read, the bright crimson covers a pathetic excuse for a hole in which the frightened mouse hid.

The truth was that, despite his behavior being anything but amicable, his notorious reputation in the school had garnered him something akin to a celebrity status over the years. The course was required, certainly, even though he wasn't the only teacher who taught it, but the struggle to survive the rigorous schedule and harsh grading system he doled out had become a flat out challenge to the students. How long could you last? Would you manage to nab the ever elusive 'A' during a semester? One pupil even became famous for handing out "I Survived Globetrotter's Class" t-shirts. They hated the teacher, but reveled in the challenge. It was something that Globetrotter became ironically comfortable with over the years. Being notorious was better than not being noticed at all. He couldn't abide the thought of being second fiddle; of falling into obscurity. He'd never had reason to be concerned about it for seventeen years, even during Basil's "reign", but now...? Now he had legitimate competition. In all his years at A.C.M.E. Arts & Sciences, he'd never known an instructor so heavily discussed, so quixotic, so beloved, even on the very first day of his employment. Pinky was new and different, in all the wrong ways to him, yet in all the right ways to the students. And it terrified him.

On a sudden whim, he whipped out a pen from his inside jacket pocket and wrote feverishly on a napkin in front of him. He didn't see the tall figure approach him.

"Hello, Brain!"

Globetrotter practically leapt out of his skin.

"AH! Wh-... You..! Don't... do that!" he remarked, hastily stuffing the napkin and pen back into his coat pocket. He clutched at his heart, taking deep breaths as he rested his head in his palm.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Brain!" poor Pinky replied, resting a hand on Globetrotter's back comfortingly. Globetrotter shrugged it off, literally.

"And don't touch me! I just... h-had this... p-pressed," Globetrotter snapped, still catching his breath. "Who knows where your... paws have... been..."

"Oh, well, they haven't been far, Brain. They're always at my side! Ha-ha!"

Globetrotter cocked an eyebrow up at him, speechless. There was no way anyone could be this inordinately stupid.

"Mind if I join you?" Pinky asked, all innocence, that perpetually sunny smile never leaving his face.

"As I matter, of fact, I-"

"Oh, thank you!" Pinky initiated, grabbing a chair and pulling it close up to Globetrotter. Too close for his comfort. Apparently, personal space was something of a foreign concept to this character. "You know, I don't usually eat in public. Don't want to miss The Brady Bunch, you know? Hm hm. But it's rather nice out here! I might come and sit with you more often."

Heaven forbid, Globetrotter thought, ears reddening.

"Would you kindly refrain from mentioning that abomination of a tv show in my presence? It sickens me. And I don't appreciate your unnaturally close proximity."

"Come again?" Pinky asked, cocking his head.

"Move," Globetrotter said, managing, with difficulty, to push Pinky and the chair he sat in over an inch.

"Well, you could have just asked," Pinky chuckled, still smiling. He complied, scooting his chair a couple more inches away from Brain.

"Thank you," bit Globetrotter, turning away from Pinky and directing his attention back to the giant tome in front of him. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like a little privacy."

"Oh, but, I came to give you something!" Pinky exclaimed, and Globetrotter, despite himself, shiftily looked over as the lanky mouse dug in his pants pocket for... something. "A-ha! Here ya' go!"

And he handed him... a teabag? No. Not a teabag. It was too big to be a teabag.

Globetrotter took it from him tentatively, two fingers holding it away from his body as if it might explode.

"What is it?"

"Chicory root! I just thought that, well, when you couldn't find any coffee it reminded me of my mum. She used to be a big coffee drinker, too. She stopped recently, but she still missed the taste. Chicory root tastes a lot like coffee, only better! M-Maybe you'd like it, too?" Pinky offered helpfully, a tinge of shyness peppering his smile.

Globetrotter looked up at Pinky, nonplussed... and a wee bit confused. No one ever gave him anything; not unless he directly asked for it. To be fair, no one was ever bold enough to even attempt to show him much kindness, seeing as the result was often times a sharp reply and a sinister glare. This newcomer obviously hadn't learned the rules yet.

"Teachers... don't usually give me gifts," Globetrotter admitted. "Not unless I ask for them." Nevertheless, he pocketed the chicory root.

"Perhaps that's because you don't ask nicely, Brain? People give you lots of things when you're nice to them!"

It wasn't so much the statement itself, but the boldness of its deliverance that took Globetrotter aback.

"Sooooo... you're saying... I should be nice... to get rewards?"

"Oh, no, Brain! That would be taking advantage! You should be nice to people, 'cause, well, it's nice! And then they're nice to you! Don't you like making people happy?"

"No."

"Not even a little bit?"

"No one has ever given me reason to."

"Well, maybe they would if you showed them a little smile!"

And he actually stuck two fingers up against Globetrotter's cheeks, pushing up on each side in an attempt to draw something close to a grin on his drooping face.

"Ohhhhhhh. There's that smile, Brain!"

"Would you get off?!" Globetrotter blasted, waving his arms around as he flung Pinky off of him. "I told you not to touch me!"

His cheeks and ears burned red at the sound of laughter nearby. Some of the students had been watching and were now drowning in a hushed fit of giggles. Naturally...

"You dimwit. If you're still sitting in that chair in five seconds, I shall personally have to harm you," threatened Globetrotter, cheeks reddening worse than ever as his paws balled into fists.

"Do I get a prize if I leave in four?" Pinky smirked.

"One..."

"Or maybe I'll get one if I stay longer! It pays to be persistent sometimes, Brain."

"Two..."

"You know, you're rather funny when your ears turn red. Nya-ha-ha!"

"FOUR...!"

"Going, Brain!"

And with that, he was off, picking his food up off his tray to take back to his room, giggling to himself and humming, of all things, "Camptown Races" as he headed for the doors. One of the teachers, a Dr. Dawson, smiled at Pinky as he walked past him. And Dr. Dawson... Oh, have mercy. Dr. Dawson started singing along with him.

"I say. I do recognize that tune, young man!" Dawson said, grinning warmly. "Camptown ladies sing this song! Doo-dah! Doo-dah!"

"Camptown race-track five miles long! Oh, doo-da day!" Pinky sung back, beaming.

Others joined in. Still others. Soon, almost the entire cafeteria, minus Globetrotter and a few stragglers, was decked out in song.

"Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day! Bet my money on the bob-tailed nag! Somebody bet on the bay!"

And with that, everyone burst out into hearty laughter, Pinky's wail the loudest of all. He and Dr. Dawson exchanged a friendly word or two, shook hands, and with that, Pinky departed, leaving a trail of chuckles behind.

Globetrotter blinked, his mouth hanging slightly open again. Whatever had happened was... terrifying. This bloke didn't just have an effect on the students, but on the whole school. Even the teachers were getting involved! It was official. This needed to end. He had to be stopped...

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Pinky was still humming "Camptown Races" all the way back to his classroom. He'd just reached the door when a little someone came pitter-pattering down the hallway after him.

"Mr. Pinky! Mr. Pinky!" she called, hat bobbing wildly up and down on her ruffled, furry head.

"Hello, Olivia!" Pinky said, grinning from ear to ear.

"That was amazing!" she gasped, panting. "Mrs. Judson said she could hear you from the nurses' office. She was singing with you!"

They both giggled at this.

"Well, tell Mrs. Judson that Mr. Pinky is glad she enjoyed the song!" Pinky said.

"Oh, I will! I will! By the way, umm... do you have any more classes planned?" Olivia asked, tucking her paws behind her and rocking back and forth, the pink cheeks only complementing her humble posture. She looked awfully cute.

"Hmmmmm. Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Is that a Friday?"

"I think so."

"Yes! Yes, I will!"

"2:00 PM sharp tomorrow, little lady," Pinky said, winking at her.

"2:00 PM sharp, Mr. Pinky!" Olivia repeated, saluting him. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

And off she trotted.

"Oh! Olivia!" Pinky called.

Olivia stopped and turned around, her mouth in a curious little 'o' shape. Pulling a hand out of his pocket, Pinky tossed her a bag of crisps. She caught it with a trained paw.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, popping open the bag and tossing a chip in her mouth as she ran off and around a corner.

"Olivia!" Pinky called again, a hand to his mouth.

"Hm?" she queried, popping her head around the corner.

"How many signatures?!"

"Thirty-seven!"

"Woo-hoo!"

"Woo woo!" she called back, before flying off once more.

Pinky smiled, giggling to himself, as he turned the door handle and disappeared inside.

--------------------

Author's Notes:

- Marvell is an original character created by a friend of mine who goes by the cognomen of "Geeky". You can find her lovely art and cute character on Twitter at: GeekyBlackGirl

- Flip phones weren't exactly in wide use in '93, but I cheated here for convenience's sake and story purposes.

- The book that Teresa was reading, as well as the book Globetrotter carried around with him, are actual published works. Stochastic calculus is, apparently, a very advanced form of the subject. Brain considers it light reading.

- Your typical volcano science project is partially composed of baking soda, which, in turn, is made up of sodium bicarbonate. The whole thing is a reference to Globetrotter's explosive personality, and how he views the current predicament as such: one big problem on the verge of erupting and destroying his position if he doesn't do something... and fast.

- Globetrotter going for the cottage cheese and fruit, while sadly eschewing the pasta, is due to the fact that, in this story, he has terrible bowel and diarrhea issues. He's been told by his doctor to avoid certain foods, but finds this... a struggle at times. I dunno why I decided to give him this problem, other than the fact that it amuses me. Lol.

- Olivia is a lot of fun to write. :)

[dreamingabouttaron]

The Assistant Part 2

You managed to get through your first day as an agent’s assistant without any major hiccups. You answered the phone, replied to emails, pre-read prospective scripts for your clients. As the last few minutes ticked by, you began to gather your belonging from your desk and wave goodbye to your new boss and fellow co-workers. As you leave the building, you feel a huge sense of relief rush over your body. You dig out your headphones from that morning and carefully plug them back into your phone as you make your way back to the tube station.

The journey back home was fairly simple. The usual rush of people making their ways back to the warmth of their homes, the usual suffocating feeling you get when everyone rams themselves onto the already packed carriage but the unusual sense of pride warms you as you go. Reflecting on the days events fills you with joy, you’re finally doing what you have already wanted to do. And to top it off, meeting the ever so handsome Mr Egerton had also made it an excellent first day.

As you fumble around in your bag to collect your keys you notice your phone beginning to vibrate and your familiar ring tone runs through your headphones into your ears disrupting your music. You press accept on your phone and place it back in your pocket; “Hello, Megan speaking.” You huff as you struggle to get your door unlocked.

“Oh, hi. Is this a bad time?” You instantly recognise the rich tones on the other side of the phone just as you manage to open the door.

“No, no! I’m just arriving home.” You assure him as you close the door behind you and place your bag down. “How may I help you?” You try to calm the butterfly feeling gathering in your stomach.

“Lindy said that you had some more scripts arrive at the office for me to read today, I was wondering if you would be able to drop them off at my flat tomorrow afternoon? It would do me a huge favour.”

You gather your thoughts and realise the scripts you had been reading earlier that day had been for him. “Oh, um, of course…” you manage to say.

“Wonderful, thank you so much Megan. I’ll text you over the details. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He finished before ending the call.

You peel your headphones out of your ears and look at yourself in the mirror. “Keep it professional Megan!”

****

The next morning you complete your usual routine and head back out to the office. Upon arriving at work, you scan your new work card to open the door and head straight to your desk.

“Ooo someone looks fancy this morning.” You turn to see James sat at his desk next to yours.

“Good Morning to you too.” You giggle in response. “I thought I would make an effort, new job and everything…” You start to turn your computer on and set up for the day as you feel your phone vibrate on the desk in front of you. ‘See you this afternoon. T x’ You smile to yourself and quickly type back ‘See you later :)’

You turn to see James furrowing his brows trying to suss you out. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact you’ve been given the task of dropping those scripts off to a certain somebody, would it?”

You feel the blood rush up to your cheeks, was it really that obvious? “Oh please! I’m a professional, I wouldn’t dare to go there with a client.” You couldn’t tell if you were trying to assure him or yourself.

****

The morning whizzed past and before you knew it, it was time to gather your things and call an Uber. You wished James a goodbye and popped you head into your bosses office to alert her of your whereabouts. She nodded and said her goodbyes. And with that you picked up the manuscripts and headed out towards the Uber.

As you sat in the Uber and watched the city centre fade away into a more rural side of London; you felt the air conditioning in the car tickle your skin making a shiver run down your spine. You bit you lip in anticipation as you watched the car slowly pull up outside the address you had provided. You looked up at the contemporary but sweet building in front of you. You thanked the driver and headed out the car and towards the door of the building.

As you were gathering your thoughts and about to knock, the door flew open which made you jump. “God sorry! I didn’t mean to make you jump. I saw the car and I knew it would be you.” Taron apologised and smiled trying to make you feel safe.

“Please come in.” He stepped out the way of the door inviting you into his home. You took a step in as your eyes darted around the open plan apartment. Everything was modern and bright. “I was just finishing my lunch, did you want anything?” He asked as he walked through to the kitchen, leaving you enamoured by the apartment and his warm presence.

“A tea would be amazing, thank you.” You replied, slowly following him through to his kitchen. The kitchen was pristine and inviting. You could only dream of owning an apartment of this size. Your eyes watch Taron dart around his kitchen making you both teas. You glanced over to his lunch sat waiting on the table.

“Let me do that! You should finish eating.” You placed your bag down and walked over to where he was standing waiting for the kettle to boil. “Just let me know where everything is and you can just supervise.” You asserted.

“If you’re sure?” He placed his hand on the base of your back as he questioned you. You felt a wave of pleasure surge though your veins at his touch. You just about managed to nod and force a reassuring smile as the kettle dinged alerting you that it had finished boiling.

“I’m very sure! Go! I can do this, trust me! It’s part of the job.” You pour the boiling water over the delicate tea bags sat waiting in the mugs. “Keep calm and love Colin Firth?” You laugh and turn to Taron. “What is this?” You try to contain your laugher as you hold the mug you to show Taron, as if he hadn’t seen it already.

Taron’s cheeks blushed red, “It was a present. A joke present. I swear, I’m not that strange!” He tried his best to convince you.

“I think it’s hilarious!” You finish pouring the milk into the mugs, give them a quick stir and then brought both the mugs over to the table Taron was sat on. “I’m going to give myself the pleasure of drinking out of this mug.” You said as you sat opposite an embarrassed Taron. You watched his eyes dart awkwardly around the room trying to avoid eye contact. You could sense he was embarrassed.

“I’ve got your scripts for you.” You announce as you pull out several blocks of paper and place them down on the table in-between Taron and yourself. “I think we have some good ones here, I especially liked Robin Hood. And I know what you’re thinking, but I think it could be fun! They want to do a modern twist on it and they’re very interested in seeing you.” You watch Taron open the first page of the script and flick through a few scenes.

“I trust you, if you think it’s a good script then I will read through it tonight.” He said and looks you sweetly in the eyes. “How was your first day? Are you enjoying it?”

“Oh it’s wonderful. I’m excited to get going and making myself more at home.”

“I think you’re going to fit in perfectly. I’m looking forward to having you around.”

You bite your lip gently and look down. “Thank you. I’m looking forward to it too.”

****

The rest of your afternoon with Taron went quickly and before you knew it, you’re back at your flat. You sat on the sofa and unzip your boots with a wide smile plastered on your face. You think back to the events of the last 48 hours and shake your head.

You spent the rest of your evening checking in with family and friends informing them of the events of the last few days. Just as you climb into bed you feel your phone vibrate on the mattress next to you.

“I trust you and if you think this is what’s right for me then I’ll do it but on one condition. You come with me as my assistant. T x”

[nitswz]

stained hearts (1/9)

**disclaimer** i am completely aware that it’s unlikely that CALM is all about Luke and Sierra. i just thought it would be an interesting twist to take the songs off CALM that I could, and connect them all into the same storyline. i am not saying Luke is or isn’t like this, this is just an interpretation of the songs as if they were real and in story form. these ‘“interpretations” could be completely off, this is just what I thought it would have played out like if these songs were all about one relationship; Luke and Sierra’s. some of them are based off interviews where they discussed the songs. this isn’t me trying to discredit any of the other guys’ relationships, make assumptions about Luke and Sierra’s relationships, or to insinuate Luke is like this, this was just for fun.

fight so dirty but your love so sweet

Fuming. Sierra was fuming. As she stumbled through the crowd trying to find the quickest exit out of the club, she regretted every decision she ever made that led her to where she was right now. Once she maneuvered way through the crowd and out the door into the bitter cold, she took a moment to breathe and go over everything that’s happened in her head.

Sierra went to apologize, and hopefully resolve things, but what she found was a drunk Luke Hemmings feeling up some girl on the dance floor; flashing her the smile that she thought he reserved for her. She was stuck, frozen in place, watching the guy she treasured so dearly, with another girl in his arms. While lost in her own head, he glanced up and made direct eye contact her for a solid 2 seconds, which was more than enough for her.

She pulled out her phone and quickly scheduled an Uber. Well, as quickly as her nearly numb hands would allow her to. 2 minutes away. She could do that. Keep it together, for 2 minutes and the extra 5 minutes to her house. Then she’ll be home and she can break down there.

As she stood there, freezing her ass off, Luke came outside stumbling a bit, his lack of sobriety really showing. He glanced around before his eyes landed on hers for a second time that night. He walked up and looked at her for a moment, as she stared at the cement.

“So, what’s up?” he spoke quietly.

Sierra couldn’t hold back the scoff that escaped her mouth.

“Nothing Lu, what’s up with you?” The way she said his nickname, was opposite to how he had always known her to. It wasn’t loving or warm, it wasn’t her. It was bitter, and spiteful, and fuck if it didn’t hurt to hear. But he wasn’t gonna back down. Not yet.

“You can cut the attitude Sierra.” He spoke bitterly.

“So, that girl, who’s she?” She asked him in a calm tone, ignoring his question.

“No one” he muttered.

“She’s pretty.” Sierra responded. Luke was silent. Sierra couldn’t hold herself together much longer. “You were all over her Luke” she whispered.

Something snapped in Luke and he quickly spoke in the most bitter, angry tone he could muster up. “Well that doesn’t really matter now does it? We aren’t together anyways, right? That is what you said isn’t it? He quickly questioned.

She quickly looked up at him, both shocked and frustrated.

“Wow. So that’s why you did this huh? And to think I came here to apologize. But instead of us being able to talk things out like two adults, which is what we are Luke, adults, you decided to turn around and get with some girl to prove some point. What did you think this was gonna fix? Huh? Or do you just act on instinct, deciding the best decision was to find a way to hurt me?” It was Luke’s turn to have his eyes on the cement. It was dead silent. As Sierra looked around, she saw her Uber pull up. “I can’t do this anymore, Lu” She spoke. This time, his nickname sounding sad coming from her mouth.

“Sierra-” Luke quickly said, in a broken tone. She ignored his pleas and stepped into the car, leaving him standing there outside the bar where he had broken her heart.

47 missed calls. All of which Sierra dodged. She spent all day in her house moping around, going over the past 2 days in her head. Part of her wanted to strangle Luke for being so reactive. His instinct when being hurt is to hurt her right back, and honestly it was a huge red flag from the start. But part of her blamed herself. Maybe if she hadn’t created all the confusion and made a huge fuss about labels, things wouldn’t be like this right now. She didn’t mean to, it just kind of happened. Her mind drifted to that day, a mere 48 hours ago.

Luke had done an interview hours before, where he was asked if he was seeing anyone. This was a common question in the interview world, especially for Luke. Usually he’d answer with a quick no and a smile and they’d move on. But he was feeling particularly bold, and good about his current relationship with Sierra.

“Actually um, yeah-yeah I am with someone” He said with a smile on his face. The rest of the band looked at him shocked, but after seeing how happy he was, they were proud of him.

Sierra, however, was unaware of his confession. Her and Luke had yet to discuss putting a label on the little thing they had. His fanbase wasn’t exactly the most welcoming clan when it came to significant others, so Sierra was hesitant to let anyone know. She didn’t want anyone to ruin what they had, and she didn’t want a label to do that either. She thought her and Luke were on the same page, which is why she answered the question she got in her instagram comments with no hesitation.

“Are you seeing anyone right now? Love you by the way!!” The comment read.

Without even a second thought Sierra replied with “Not at the moment, no <3”.

The comment reminded her that she missed Luke, so she went to text him.

Looking back now, his lack of response should have been a red flag. He always replied to her quickly, which was one of her favorite things about him.

Now, 2 days later, she wishes she could go back and change it all. She did nothing wrong and she knew that, but fuck if she didn’t miss him. She missed his dumb jokes, she missed Petunia, she missed the way he’d come out of nowhere and swoop her in the air. She missed dates with him that turned into sleeping with him that turned into waking up with him and spending the day together only to do it all over again.

Sometimes it scared her, how dependent she was on him. On him being around. She knew that feeling was mutual which scared her even more. Sometimes it felt like she couldn’t breathe without him, that’s how much she needed him.

She just missed him. She missed-

“Sierra! Open up, please!” Luke. What the hell is he doing? “Sierra, I’m sorry. I fucked up, I know I fucked up. I just, I was upset and I know it’s not an excuse but its the truth.I shouldn’t have handled things how I did and I just, fuck I’m so sorry Si.” Sierra let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in. A million thoughts clouded her mind but only one remained clear, that she missed him. A lot. She didn’t care about the rest.

She yanked open the door, and they spoke through a quick glance. She stepped to the side, indicating for him to come inside. His tall figure ducked through the doorway and slowly made his way to the living room, plopping down on the sofa. He stumbled a bit, but Sierra assumed it was due to his awkward lankiness.

She sat down next to him, and unlike the night before, she looked him right in the eyes. She looked for any trace of honesty in them. But before she could analyze his eyes, she noticed how unfocused they were. He had been drinking. He glanced down in what appeared to be shame.

Sierra let out a deep sigh, grabbed his hands and brought him upstairs. Silently, she grabbed one of his shirts that she had stolen and hung up, and handed it to him. She went to her linen closet and pulled out blankets and pillows, and began to trudge down the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Luke’s voice spoke quietly. It was then she noticed the slur in his words

“Downstairs, Luke. To sleep. We’ll talk in the morning, when you’re sober.” She spoke calmly, but firmly.

“No don’t. Just-Just come to bed with me. Please.” He pleaded.

As much as she wanted to stand her ground, his face and the grabby hands he made broke her down. She slowly walked towards him and laid down on the bed. She reached over to turn off the lamp and layed back down. She felt a warm hand reach across her waist, pulling her closer to him. Luke let out a sigh of content, and pulled her even closer, if possible.

As his breathing slowed, and he began sleeping, millions of thoughts filled Sierra’s head once again. She didn’t know how to feel at this point. Him being there, holding her, felt so right. But something felt off, wrong even. All she knows is despite how much he hurt her, and how much she knows he will hurt her if things don’t change, she’s so relieved that he’s here. She felt whole again. So while enveloped in his warmth, she fell asleep to his stilled breathing, getting the first good night’s rest she’s gotten in 2 days.

[spacesuitsforemergency]

The Rise Of Iron Maiden

Chapter 4: Failure to Launch

Word Count: 2.9k

Originally Requested by: @amateurwriterbigdreamer

Previous Chapter: We’re in the Endgame Now

Next Chapter: The Return Of Iron Maiden

A/N: this chapters kinda slow, but I gotta fill the plot. Next chapters gonna be pretty Tye heavy (mostly from his POV)

“Wrah!” Nebula stood up, putting her hands in a fighting stance.

“You don't need to do that. Because uh... you're just holding position.” Tony mimicked a football goalpost with his hands as she flicked a paper football towards him. “Oh yeah, that was close.”

“I would like to try again.”

You and Tye watched from the front of the ship, both of you previously watching the stars. Both of you are silent, neither of you wanting to talk. You were still too shaken up from the events of nearly last month. Nebula had attempted to fly you back to Earth, but the Milano broke down and now you were floating in space, hopeless.

“Fair game. Good sport. Have fun?” Your dad asked Nebula.

“It was...fun.” She nodded slowly.

“Tye, Y/N, wanna play?” Tony looked over to the two kids.

“I’m good.” Tye mumbled.

“Hey, come on.” Your dad urged. “It’s fun. Right, Nebula?”

“It is fun.” She nodded, face deadpanned. Tye sighed, but eventually joined them.

“Y/N?” Your dad offered.

“Um...I’m tired, I’m gonna go sleep for a little bit.” You give him a small smile as if to say you were okay, before retreating to the back of the ship towards the bedrooms.

You lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. You think about everyone at home, and the frustration of not knowing who was still alive. Were Eduardo, Jaime, Peter, Quill, Drax, Mantis and Doctor Strange still alive? Or did they die? Would they ever come back? Could you bring them back?

Usually Eduardo was there to tell you you were overthinking and to calm you down, but he was gone. He turned to dust in your hands, and you couldn’t do anything about it. You hated it when you couldn’t control something, much like your father. If you couldn’t protect the ones you loved, you felt useless. You felt guilty, believing it was your fault that Eduardo, Jaime and Peter were gone. You were even guilty about the Guardians of the Galaxy, even though you barely knew them.

You looked over at your pile of armor on the floor. You dragged yourself out of bed, sitting against it. You clicked a button on your helmet, and waited for it to light up.

“This thing on?” You ask nobody in particular, then let it scan you. “Alright. Hey mom. Uh...sorry for not listening to dad. Again. I should be down on Earth, I’m sorry I’m worrying you. Dad makes you do that enough already.” You chuckle softly. “Um...it’s day 22, just floating in space. The blue meanie tried to fly us back. You’d like her, she’s very practical. It’s only her, me, dad, and Tye left. He doesn’t talk much-well, not that he did before. He’s pretty broken over Jaime. Peters gone too, poor kid. Aunt Mays gonna kill him. Um...I lost Eduardo. He just...turned into dust. I couldn’t do anything about it...I really miss him, mom. I won’t miss him much longer though, in fact, I might see him in the next...48 hours of oxygen. It won’t last long with four people on here though. I didn’t think I’d die like this, it’s so pathetic.” You scoff and shake your head. “I thought I’d die saving people. I want to die saving people, that’s how I’ve always wanted to go but...nope. I’m gonna die because this piece of junk broke down in the middle of the universe. So uh...I’m gonna go play some paper football with the two grumps and dad. I’m really sorry, mom. All you do is put up with our shit, and tell us when to stop. I should’ve listened this time.” You go to turn it off, quickly saying, “I love you.”

You fall back against the bed, feeling lightheaded and dizzy. The low oxygen levels are already effecting you, which meant your dad and friend were both feeling them too. You wanted to go join them, but you couldn’t move your whole body enough to do so. You lied there, staring at your Iron Maiden suit. The suit you used to save people, but you couldn’t even save yourself. You failed Eduardo. Jaime. Peter. Quill. Drax. Mantis. Doctor Strange. And who knows who else.

You feel yourself being lifted off the ground, and you look up to see Nebula. She was mostly machine, so the lack of oxygen wasn’t effecting her as bad as you. She carried you over to a couch that she had dragged into the control room, facing the window. Your dad was sitting in the middle, Tye beside him. Nebula sat you on his other side, then left.

Tony gathered enough strength to lift his arms, resting them around the two kids’ shoulders and pulling them closer to him. He wanted to comfort them, but he couldn’t speak. You all stared out at the stars, awaiting your deaths.

•

A bright light pierced your brain, making you cringe as you wake up. You open your eyes and blink until they adjust. You see a woman outside of the ship, looking in. You weakly shake your dads leg, trying to alert him. His hand rests atop of yours to tell you he’s okay, as he slowly sits up a little.

“Who’s that?” Tye mumbles, half asleep.

“Not sure, kid.” Tony replied. You pass out again, not able to hold consciousness. You wake up again when someone shakes you awake, opening your eyes to see your dads best friend, Rhodey.

“Y/N? Hey, think you can stand?” He asked softly. You nod, and he helps you to your feet you lean on him as he walks you down the ramp to outside.

“Is mom...?” You breathe out, still blinking away black spots in your vision.

“Y/N! Tony!” You hear her yell from somewhere, before Rhodey can even open his mouth. “Oh my god! Oh my god!”

Your mom practically crashed into you, holding you tightly to her. You fall into her, not having the strength to stand any longer. Your dad walks by himself over to his two girls, hugging them tightly. Back in space, he truly thought those would be his last moment, so he was eternally grateful that he got to live long enough to hold them both again.

Tye watched the scene from where Natasha was helping him stand, feeling alone. His mother was in a different dimension than him, and Tye felt like she probably didn’t even miss him.

“Nat?” He breathed out.

“What’s up?” She asked, looking down at the exhausted boy.

“You have food that isn’t freeze dried and in a silver bag, right?” He asked.

“Yeah, come on.” She chuckled, helping him walk towards the Compound.

“Don’t you two ever do that again.” Pepper began to cry.

“No promises.” Tony kissed each of his girls on top of the head, as Steve approached you guys. “Couldn’t stop him, Cap.”

“Neither could I.” Steve nodded.

“I lost the kids. Peter. Jaime. Eduardo.” Tony shook his head, guilt washing over him once again.

“Tony, we all lost.”

You’re brought into the compound, each immediately given an IV and some food. You and Tye eat like animals, not having any rations for the past couple of days. You watch a holographic screen listing the heroes that disappeared in the Decimation; Wanda Maximoff, Nick Fury, Jaime Reyes, Bucky Barnes, Peter Quill, Scott Lang, Sam Wilson, Peter Parker, T’Challa, Eduardo Dorado Jr...

“It’s been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth.” Rhodey announced.

“World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures.” Natasha paced slowly in front of the holographs.

“Where is he?” You ask timidly, still nervous about him.

“We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through.” Bruce Banner said slowly, trying to not scare the kids even more than they already were.

“What's wrong with him?” Tony asked, motioning to Thor, who was staring into space.

“Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?” A talking raccoon spoke up from behind you.

“Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear.” Your dad pointed at him.

“You’re with him, kid? Really?” The raccoon looked at Tye.

“You know a talking raccoon?” You asked Tye, staring at the raccoon.

“He’s not a-.”

“I’m not a raccoon!” It snapped at you. “Why do you humies keep saying that?”

“We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Tony, Y/N, Tye, you fought him.” Steve interrupted.

“Who told you that? I didn't fight him.” Tony scoffed. “No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store. Nearly killed my daughter, and Tye. One hit away from it, in fact. That's what happened. There was no fight.”

“Okay.”

“He was unbeatable.” Tye shook his head, and you agreed.

“Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?” Captain America asked.

“Pfft! I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming.” Tony said.

“Dad, calm down.”

“Tony, I’m gonna need you to focus.”

“And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?” Your dad stood up, slapping things off a table. Everyone winced from the sudden noise. “I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling all youse-“

Tony lunges at Steve, but Rhodey stepped between them and held your dad back.

“Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not-that's what we needed!” Tony yelled at Steve.

“Well, that didn't work out, did it?” Steve kept his composure, only angering your father even more.

“I said, "we'd lose". You said, "We'll do that together too." And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers.”

“Dad! Stop!” You shout at him, your head spinning.

“You know what, honey? The adults are talking, alright?” Your dad said, with a little more venom than he intended.

“Mr. Stark you made your point just-“ Tye started.

“Nah, nah. Here's my point. You know what?” Tony turned back to glare at Captain America.

“Tony, you’re sick.” Rhodey insisted, trying to get him to sit back down.

“I got nothing for you, Cap! I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar.” Tony slowly walked up to Steve, getting right in his face. You all tensed when Tony ripped his arc reactor out of his chest, smacking it into Steve’s hand. “Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide.”

“Dad!” You shout when he suddenly falls to the ground.

“Tony!” Steve reached down to help his old friend up.

“I’m fine. I...” Your dad trails off, falling unconsciously to the floor. You try to get up, but Natasha pushes you back down by your shoulders.

“Get him to a room. Call Pepper.” Natasha ordered the men, before turning back to you two. “He’ll be fine, Y/N. Just needs to rest. So do you.”

“Not tired.” You shook your head stubbornly.

“Nebula, Rocket, think you can handle watching them for a moment?” She asked the two aliens, sitting on the wall behind you.

“Yes.” Nebula nodded.

“Sure.” The raccoon, or, Rocket shrugged.

Natasha gave you a reassuring smile before turning to help the other bring your father to a room.

“Sorry about your friend, kid.” Rocket hopped down and rounded the couch you and Tye were on to face him.

“Yeah. Sorry about the others.” Tye nodded, expression not changing at all. Your eyes drifted back to the screen, watching more and more names and pictures appear onscreen.

“Where are you going?” You hear Natasha ask someone.

“To kill Thanos.” The lady that flew you home stated simply as they emerged from the hallway.

“Hey, you know, we usually work as a team here, and between you and I, morale's a little fragile.” Nat mumbled.

“We realize up there is more your territory, but this is our fight too.” Steve nodded.

“You even know where he is?” Rhodey joined them.

“I know people who might.” The lady said, blank faced.

“Don't bother. I can tell you where Thanos is. Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me. And when he worked, he talked about his great plan. Even disassembled, I wanted to please him. I'd ask "where would we go once his plan was complete?". His answer was always the same: "To the Garden." Nebula stood up, walking over to them.

“That's cute, Thanos has a retirement plan.” Rhodey joked, earning small smiles from you and Tye. He smiled back, glad to bring the two kids joy, even for a moment.

“So where is he?” Steve asked, and the adults walked over to a round table. You and Tye joined them, regaining enough strength to stand. You still leaned on Rhodey, which he happily let you do.

“When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth became ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions. No one's ever seen anything like it... Until two days ago.” Rocket showed a hologram of a planet, with a shockwave visibly traversing the surface. “On this planet.”

“Thanos is there.” Nebula added.

“He used the Stones again.” Natasha muttered.

“Hey, hey, hey. We'd be going in short-handed, you know.” Bruce piped up.

“Look, he's still got the stones, so...” Rhodey said.

“So let's get him... Use them to bring everyone back.” The lady told you.

“Just like that?” Tye raises an eyebrow in disapproval.

“Just like like.” Steve nodded.

“Even if there's a small chance that we can undo this... I mean we owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try.” Natasha tried to convince everyone. You looked down, feeling the guilt from letting your friends die in the pit of your stomach.

“If we do this, how do we know it's gonna end any differently than it did before?” Bruce asked.

“Because before, you didn't have me.” The lady crossed her arms.

“Hey, new girl, everyone here is about that superhero life. And if you don't mind my asking, where the hell have you been all this time?” Rhodey put a hand on his hip, making sure to balance so you wouldn’t fall.

“There are a lot of other planets in the universe. And unfortunately, they didn't have you guys.” The lady narrowed her eyes at Rhodey.

Thor walked out of the shadows, towards the lady. They stand in front of each other as if challenging the other. Thor holds out his hand, and Stormbreaker flies into his hand. Then they both grin at each other.

“I like this one.” Thor said.

“Let’s go get this son of a bitch.” You growl.

“Like hell you’re going!” Natasha laughed.

“No way, kids.” Steve shook his head. “Adults only on this one.”

“Would you quit treating us like children?” You glare at them.

“We probably got more punches in on Thanos than all of you combined.” Tye said venomously.

“First of all, not possible.” Natasha said. “Second of all, you are not coming. Tony and Pepper would go into cardiac arrest if you came along.”

You and Tye exchange looks, looking to the floor in compliance.

“Look, we know you’re hurting. But going at him all malnourished and seeking revenge is not the way to do it.” Rhodey told you guys.

“You’ll stay here with Tony and Pepper, okay?” Natasha asked. “Rest. Let us take care of this.”

“...okay.” You sigh.

“Thank you.” She pulled both of you into a hug. You melted into it, Tye tensed up.

You hugged each of the remaining Avengers, even Thor let you hug him, though he didn’t hug back. You and Tye stood and watched at they boarded the now fixed Milano, then watched them take off. You stood there for a little bit after, staring at the dark sky.

“Tye?” You whisper after a long stretch of silence.

“Yeah?”

“You think they can do it?” You ask

Tye hesitates. You’re scared, he’s scared, and both of you just want even a glimpse of hope. He debates what to tell you, what he truly thought or what he knew you wanted to hear.

“...no.”

You nod slowly, agreeing with him. A single tear falls down your face, dropping onto the paved pathway.

“I miss them, too.” Tye took a shaky breath, fighting his own tear ducts. He never cried, let alone in front of anyone.

“I’m sorry you lost Jaime.” You turn to him. “I know how much he meant to you. Eduardo too.”

“I’m sorry you lost Peter. You guys are as close as Jaime and I are. And I’m sorry you lost Eduardo, too.” Tye quickly blinked away tears.

“Can you believe they’re all gone?” You ask.

“No.” He shook his head. “I wish it could just be a month ago. When we were on that one mission.”

“The one where Jaime and Peter accidentally broke into Scott Lang’s house?” You giggle.

“How do you accidentally break in?” Tye laughed, shaking his head. “They’re truly idiots.”

“But they’re our idiots.” You nod, smiling sadly at the sky.

[kaiparker-avengerssmut]

PART ONE

LOVE OR HATE?

WARNINGS: mild swearing, slight violence

WORD COUNT:2242

When Katie's younger sister comes on the field trip with her, they meet Officer Jake Riley. Instantly there's some kind of hatred forming between her and Jake, but, when both of their worlds go spiralling, they both have to question if it was really hate or a disguised love?

Y/n and Katie had always been extremely close - especially for sisters with a five year age gap. They both lived together - y/n worked as an artist and Katie was a teacher at the local elementary school. That's what landed y/n here, in a hospital waiting room while the whole building was in a 48 hour lockdown. Great. Katie has persuaded y/n to come on a field trip to the hospital with her and the kids, and now she was sat in a chair, playing with the rings on her right hand, bored out of her mind. It had been 20 minutes. She was already bored. This was going to be fun.

Suddenly, Katie rushes up to her, clearly in a flat panic. "Y/n, I've lost Quentin! And his friend, Thomas. I don't know what to do! I can't believe I wasn't looking out for them more, I-" y/n cut her off, "hey, Kates, it'll all be fine, I'll go find the boys. You stay here and keep an eye on everyone else. I won't be long." Y/n stood up and walked out the room.

She eventually made it to the basement floor, walking through a dingy, tiled corridor. "Hey! Put your hands where I can see 'em! Stay 4-6 feet away." She heard a strong, male voice boom behind her. She rolled her eyes and put her hands up, slowly turning around. "Is this really necessary?" She sassed, noticing the gun pointing straight at her heart. The man holding it was handsome, with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He had a bit of scruff and was clearly very muscular. "You can't be down here, miss." He continued, holding a dominant tone. She rolled her eyes again - god, cops always assumed anyone they spoke to was some kind of assassin or mass-murderer. "You can drop the gun, cop-boy. I'm just looking for my nephew and his friend. I'm no national threat or anything." He lowered the gun slightly and continued, "1) I decide when it's appropriate to drop the gun, 2) don't insult a cop, or I'll have to cuff you and 3) why is your nephew and his friend in a restricted area of a hospital?" She huffed and dropped her hands to her sides as he took a few steps forward, dropping his gun to his side. "1) 4-6 feet, buddy, 2) is like to see you try and 3) well they're not anywhere else in this building and it's not like any of us are getting out any time soon, is it?" He closed the gap between them and spun y/n around, pushing her into the wall. "I will punch you if you don't let go if me." She said through gritted teeth. He leant down so he could talk into her ear. "Yeah, well I'm still the cop and you're making open threats to me. And these kids must be stupid or something. I'll find them - now is no time to let your kids off their leash." She rolled her eyes and stamped on his foot. He tightened his grip on her wrists, seemingly unphased by y/n's action. "You are in so much trouble - but I'll let it slide, just this once. One puny girl looking for some elementary school kids is the least of my problems right now." He said into her ear again. He released her wrists and took a step back. She stood away and rubbed her wrists.

"We better get going then." Y/n said, continuing marching down the corridor. The guy jogged up to her again. "Hey! There's no 'we' about this! I'm going and that's finial." Y/n spun on her heal to look at him, "look no offence, cop-boy, but I promised my sister I'd find these kids and get them back safely, I don't really care what uniform you're wearing I just want to find my nephew unharmed and healthy, got it?" She stormed off, eventually finding her way into a room where then man with the rats from before sat, two little boys in front of him. "Miss wait i-" the guy continued on until I cut him off, "Quentin! Thomas! Your mum was worried sick!" Y/n said kindly to the boys, she looked up at the guy with the rats, "I hope they weren't troubling you?" He smiled at her and waved her off, "oh no, no. They were perfectly fine." She smiled and crouched down, looking at the boys, "what do we say, boys?" She said with a smile. They both turned to the man and said thank you. Y/n stood up and looked at him, a warm expression on her face, "thank you." He smiled back, "anytime."

She stood up and turned around, ushering the boys out the door. As she went to walk through the guy grabbed her upper arm, "we are not done talking. Meet me back in that hallway in an hour." Y/n raised and eyebrow, "so what you're saying is you'd like to see me again? How flattering ." Before shoving past him, catching up to the boys.

Y/n quickly got fed up with the noise in the waiting room, so she grabbed her sketch-pad and a pencil and headed down to the corridor - hoping to find some quiet. She was 45 minutes early but she didn't really care. Once she got there she slid down the wall, moving her feet up so she could use her thighs as a rest for the lag while she drew. She started to sketch on the pad, letting the pencil take her where it wanted, her imagination going wild. She was pulled out of her trace to someone deliberately clearing their throat. She looked up to see the cop from before towering over her. "Miss-" he stopped as y/n cut in, "y/n." He continued, "miss y/n, mind if I join you?" He said sourly. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" He laughed and slouched against the opposite wall. "No."

Y/b laughed back. "So, Officer-" he cut her off this time. "Riley. Officer Jake Riley." Y/n continued, "right, cop-boy, what is it you so desperately needed to see me for again?" He tone had a slight annoyance in it. "Well, you did insult an cop. And you assaulted me." Y/n waved it off, "pfff, you barely felt it. It was light tread." He shot her a warning look. "So, y/n. Why do you think it's alright to insult a cop?" he said. She thought about it for a second before retorting, "because you're all dicks." He raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?" She nodded her head. "Huh, thanks for the information. So, would you like to tell me why me and everyone I work with are suddenly all dicks?" He seemed amused at her statement and her boldness. She sighed and finally answered, "because you don't respect people. You treat us all like sociopaths, or objects." She spat. He chuckled, "I'm beginning I get the feeling you had a bad experience with a cop?" She nodded her head again. "What happened?" He pressed on. She sighed again, debating whether she should tell him the whole story. "Fine. I was in training, fulfilling my childhood dream of helping people. I was with the Officer I trusted most that helped out at the academy. He'd offered to hive me extra training so I took it. We were out of a run when all of a sudden he shoved me into an alleyway, pinning me against the wall. I started choking as his grip got tighter. I managed out a scream and someone heard, the looked into the ally and he shot them, before proceeding to, to, um..." Jake leaned forward a bit, "What did he do, y/n?" She swallow, "he raped me." She said almost silently, but he must've heard because realisation flickered over his features. "You're Y/n Frank, aren't you?" She nodded weakly. All colour seemed to drain from his face. "That was one of my first cases. I was the one who arrested him, but by the time I got there you were already in the ambulance and my partner was the one taking the statement. I'm so sorry." He said, his voice full of pity. "I don't need your pity. Anyway, after that I couldn't stand to wear the same uniform he had, so I dropped out with only one month to go until I would have been a cop. Then I decided to peruse my dream of art." She made unenthusiastic jazz hands as if to make it sound magical.

Y/n stood up. "Are we done now? Can I go?" Jake nodded. She walked off without another word.

————————————————————————

Over the days y/n could see Jake and Katie growing closer, both spending their free time together. When the lockdown was extended Jake came straight to y/n, who was laying on her front on her makeshift bed, sketching. "Hey, trouble, can I speak to you for a second?" Jake said commandingly. Y/n rolled her eyes. "That want a question, was it?" He shook his head. She sighed and got up, putting her pad under the bed. "Follow me." He said sternly. He lead her down to the corridor. Once there he turned to face her, "look, I'm running low on men. Like, really low. There's seven cops with side and over 400 citizens." Y/n shrugged, not bothering to make eye-contact with him. "Then just get done more send over." He sighed. "We can't - no one in and no one out." Y/n finally looked up. "Okayyy, so what do you want me to do about it?" His expression was completely serious, it was actually kind of scary. "I want you to help me, become my deputy. You've have complete training all you need is a gun and a vest, both of which I can get for you." Y/n rolled her eyes, "look, cop-boy. I dropped out for a reason. I don't want to do it and I shouldn't have too. And what do you need cops for, exactly? It's a virus, not a war." He sighed again, "look, y/n, please. Just do one patrol and decide from there. You haven't left the building. It's awful out there - robberies, murders, gang violence. I could really use the help." Y/n thought for a moment. "Fine. One patrol. That's it." He nodded. "Okay then, when do we leave?"

————————————————————————

A few hours later y/n found herself sitting in the passenger seat of Jake's squad car, in a bullet-proof vest and holding a gun. God. How her life has changed in less than a week. She'd give nothing more than to be in the spare room at home - which she used as her studio - music blaring in her headphone and paintbrush in hand. Jake was right, it was a mess out here. There were dead bodies littering the streets, windows of shops and houses broken and cars left abandoned and wrecked on the roadsides. They suddenly heard the rumble of motorbikes, the noise surrounding them. "Crap." Jake muttered. Panic shot through her. "Jake, what's happening?" He cursed again. "Gang members. Meth heads. Normally the unpredictable ones." Oh god. This wasn't good. Jake pulled the car to a stop, hoping they would all ride past.

Unfortunately for them, the gang decided to attack someone. Jake barrels out the car pulling out his and and running to stand in-front of the old woman. Y/n followed closely behind, as much as she hated the idea of being a cop now, she had very strong reasons in the first place and always felt the need to protect those around her. The motorcyclists swarmed around them, creating a cloud of dust that engulfed them. The dust cleared for a second and Jake took a shot, just missing one of the 5 men. Y/n lined up her shit with one riding towards her, taking a careful shot and hitting him in the heart. His lifeless body toppled off the bike, landing with a thud on the grass. When the others noticed, they were quick to leave, clearly phased by death. "Few, that was a close one." Y/n said in relief. Jake helped the woman across the road, sending her in her way. He motioned to y/n with his hand and she jogged over to the car.

As she climbed in and out her helmet at her feet, Jake let out a strange laugh. "H-how are you so good with a gun? You haven't shot one for what - 3 years?" He looked at her, mesmerised. "I don't know. I was always good at stuff like that, darts, archery at camp, anything with a target I guess." She shrugged. "Jeez you would have made one hell of a cop." He said almost to himself, starting the engine back up.