#Writing will be good as I gotta fast today for hospital tomorrow so that's gonna suckkkk

[nxthingmxtters]

"Good moms let you lick the beaters. Great moms turn them off first, hehehe!"

[glowingspence]

Can you do a platonic hotchreid with prompts 64 and 65???

"There was a kid with him, he is sitting in the waiting area but we can't get him to talk." The nurse tells Morgan when he arrives at the hospital.

Hotch had gotten a call that Gideon had been brought into the ER after someone tried breaking in and was surprised by him being home. Shots were exchanged while a bullet hit Gideon in the torso.

Hotch had called the team immediately, directing Morgan to drive down to the hospital for a reason he didn't understand because he and Gideon are hardly close, he knows he would rather have Hotch there but he had not been able to change his mind. Something had Hotch determind to check out the apartment.

"A kid?" Derek questions sceptical. He knows about Gideon's son, but they don't have any contact.

"Not a kid but a young man. Maybe a teenager. I can't tell you."

"Can you lead me to him?"

"Of course." The nurse leads him down the hall while she continues talking, "He seems distraught by what happened and he doesn't really let anyone talk to him but maybe you get lucky if you tell him that you are a friend of Agent Gideon."

"I will try, thank you." Slowly he walks into the waiting area that is apart from an old man in the corner and a woman reading a book empty. "Hey"

The man doesn't look up to him, he looks down on his blood soaked converse, the shoe lashes are open and have left a red pattern on the white floor.

"My name is Agent Derek Morgan, I work with Jason Gideon. Can you tell me who you are?" The man keeps on shuffling his feet over the ground, his thin hair covering parts of his face as he holds himself. "Did you call the ambulance?"

He nods and then looks away, still to the floor but more down the hall. "Can you tell me what happened?" He shakes his head and starts moving his leg left and right, "Is it okay if I sit down with you?"

"Agent Morgan played chess with me today, for a minute I thought that man is gonna outplay me." He recites and Morgan looks at him with confusion on his face.

"Did- did Agent Gideon say that?"

"Did Agent Gideon say that? Yes" The kid answers and looks up to him for the first time, eyeing every inch of him until something else catches his eyes and Morgan sees Hotch approaching them with fast steps before pulling the man in his arms who leaves out a strangled whine,

"Thank god you are okay" Hotch moves out of the hug and cups his face, "I know- I know no touches but I was so worried." He hugs him again, this time the young man presses his hands between them and pushes him off, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"They took Gideon." He speaks with huge eyes, "They took him. They wouldn't let me help."

"It's okay they are gonna take care of him okay?"

"Hotch?" Derek questions sceptical, "Care to explain what is going on?"

"Right, right." A little bit flustered Hotch gets up from the ground, "This is Spencer, Spencer is living with Jason and will work with us in the future. Right?"

"No"

"No?" Hotch questions with a frown, "Why not?"

"Need to write all the tests." He states as he rocks back in forth, "Kid I will make us a cup of coffee and then we can study- Spencer get down- get down-" He yells the last parts while he takes his hand up to his head, hitting it.

"It's okay, it's okay, you are safe. Deep breath." Hotch crouches down in front of him again, "Spencer hey!"

"Where is the painting? Where is the painting? Fuck why are they home? Why are there two? Only the kid was supposed to be here. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground. Stay on the ground."

"Did they say that? Where there more than one?"

"Home" To their surprise he gets up from his seat, his ears still covered as he aims for the hallway before Hotch stops him with one hand around his waist, causing him again to leave out a high pitched noise.

"Where do you wanna go? Tell me"

"Today is the 3rd. Tomorrow is the 4th. Need to study. Today is the 3rd. Last chance. Gideon needs to help me. He was gone all week, now we need to study all of it in one night."

"Then let's drive to my home okay? I'll help you study."

"Fast" Spencer starts walking again while Hotch stays back for a second.

"Call JJ have her pick up Spencer's text books, they already must be on the table if they wanted to get started." Hotch orders.

"You can't be serious? How can he think about a test right now?"

"Better a test than this. Just do it." Hotch looks at him in a way that tells Derek not to ask any more questions and to just do what he just has been told.

"You remember Haley right?" Hotch questions when he unlocks the door to their house, "My wife?"

Timidly Spencer nods and steps into the house, a light shining in the kitchen, "Let's get our shoes off and then see if we can find us a good coffee to get us through the night."

"Books"

"Agent Jareau is going to get your books. It's going to take a few minutes though." Hotch smiles at him apologetic while he gets out of his shoes and places them near the others, "Come on."

He leads him into the kitchen where Haley is already up and preparing something to eat for him and two cups of coffee, "Hey you" With a warm motherly smile she places the cup in front of where Spencer sits down, "It's two sugar, right?"

Offended Spencer frowns at her and shakes his head while Hotch leaves out a chuckle, "She was kidding. You can have as much sugar as you want." She places the sugar next to him, watching him put multiple spoons in, "You are gonna get a heartattck one day."

"Good heart. Past physical." He taps his chest a few times.

"I heard" Hotch sits down next to him, taking a sip himself. "Why don't you go to the bathroom real quick? There is a lot of blood on your face and clothes. I will bring you new ones okay.."

Spencer shakes his head and grips a pen that is lying at the end of the table, "We can start studying when JJ was here? We have enough time that you can take care of yourself first."

"Seven hours and four minutes" He states and looks back at the ceiling.

"Good that you have that brain of yours then."

"No time"

"There is enough time." Hotch takes a warm wet washcloth from Haley and gently touches Spencer's head who immediately leaves out a whine and starts hitting Hotch with his hand, "It's okay, you are okay."

"No time, no time."

"Shh it's okay." He keeps on trying until Spencer forms his hand into a fist and hits him into the side with full force making Hotch grasp for air for a moment,

"Aaron!"

"No time. No time."

"I won't touch you again, I promise." Hotch places the washcloth on the kitchen, "It's okay, I am sorry."

"Only Gideon and Mom."

"I know I am sorry"

"No touching."

"It's okay."

"Only Gideon and Mom."

"I know that's okay. I respect that." Skeptical Spencer sits back down on the chair but keeps his eyes on Hotch and when Haley moves flinches and looks where she is going, "You are not in any danger."

"Want Gideon"

"I know." Slowly Hotch keeps his hands in sight and sits down, "The hospital is gonna call me on this phone if there are any news."

"Morgan?"

"No not Agent Morgan. He was there because I send him." Hesitant Spencer grabs Hotch's phone, "I drove down to Jason's place to see if you are there."

"Drove with Gideon."

"That was okay."

"Blood"

"I can imagine." Hotch has to hold back to not physically comfort him again. "Do you really need to study? Or are you just a little paranoid-"

"No time! Need to study!" He slams his hands down on the table, "Need to study"

"It's okay, it's okay we will study"

"Aaron-" Haley makes a motion for him to follow her out the room but he shakes his head and grabs an old bill from the corner of the table and the pen from Spencer's hands.

"Alright name everything you need to study." It takes some time till JJ gets the books from the crime scene and Hotch finds out that Gideon is right and that Spencer really does get too much anxiety over exams even if he can perfectly do it. So in the morning they are running on no sleep and the third cup of coffee, "Okay Agent Morgan is going to drive you, alright? He is going to wait for you to finish the test and then drive you to the hospital."

"Okay" Concentrated Spencer keeps fiddling with the pen in his hands, "Okay, okay, okay" he mutters while Derek looks at him with worry.

"There is gotta be a way that he can skip the test. Look at him. He hasn't even washed off the blood."

"I tried all night. Just drive him. I told him you will drive off at 7:20 am with him. Don't make it late."

"Okay, okay, okay" Spencer is still muttering under his breath while rereading the same pages for what must be the fifth time and when he climbs into Morgan's truck he starts rocking back and forth.

"Kid?"

"No time."

"Did Hotch give you at least something to eat?" Morgan questions and Spencer nods, "Did you eat it?"

He shakes his head and Derek reaches to the back, grabbing two protein bars and a soda can. "Eat and drink or you brain won't work."

"For me?"

"Yes kid, eat this while we drive."

"Thank you, Sir"

"No problem." They get quite a few stares when they walk into the room like this and Morgan walks up to the Agent supervising the test announcing he will sit in.

"He was not with Agent Gideon was he? I heard what happened." The old man questions while watching Spencer take a seat in the back.

"Kid got lucky but I would feel more comfortable sitting here, have an eye on him."

"No worries he will be done in twenty minutes anyway."

"Twenty?"

"Kid got a brain even Jason Gideon can't compete with." He tells him and offers to get him a stool and Spencer shyly looks up and waves to Derek who shoots him a smile back and when Spencer hands in his test like expected he even gets away with a pat on the shoulder. "You answered everything?"

"Yes, sir"

"Gideon will be proud of you."

"We will see him now right?"

"Yes of course." He looks at the kid a moment longer, "Does Gideon normally come with you to tests?"

"I get really anxious in tests so he does when he can. It was very nice of you to sit in, Sir."

"Of course."

"Do you think when I will start working at the BAU, you will still work there too?"

"I hope so."

"Will we be friends then, Sir?" He questions much to Derek's surprise. It's not something people ask usually but Spencer doesn't seem to mean this in a mocking way.

"That I am betting on." Encouraging he places his hand on Spencer's shoulder again, "Have you met anyone else from the team yet?"

"Only Gideon and Hotch."

"I am sure you will love the rest too."

"I wouldn't really say I love Hotch" Spencer states with a slightly sorry face that makes Derek break out into a chuckle.

"It's okay, you will."

"He is nice"

"And he loves you a lot."

"Really?"

"Really." When Spencer reaches the hospital he is first shy and timidly walking into the room before Gideon opens his arms for him,

"It's good to see you"

"I got through my whole test!"

"That's amazing, kiddo." He hugs him, ignoring the pain, "Hotch hold me you studied together"

"Yes he is a great study partner" Spencer sits down on the bed, "And Derek said we can be friends when I join the team."

"That's amazing." Proudly Gideon smiles at him, "Come here again, lay down." Spencer stripes off his shoes and then curls up against Gideon's healthy side, "I am glad you are okay."

"You too"

[Prompt list]

[yellowsuitcase]

Cycle Comfort

Request (wattpad): Could you make one where Y/n gets her period in class or something and she’s really embarrassed so Draco, her boyfriend of two years comforts her and looks after her while she’s upset about it? 

A/N: I’m afraid this might not be my best work, but it was a cute idea and I knew exactly what I wanted to write so I just sat down and got to work. I apologize if it’s not the greatest, my brain is fried. Hope you enjoy! (It’s super fluffy)

Summary: Y/N gets her period and Draco comforts her.

Waring(s): Mentions of period/menstrual cycle, cramps

Word Count: 1.7k

Y/N felt a sudden pang in her abdomen. It pulled her focus away from Professor Binns’ lecture. Another twinge of pain, this one stretched longer than the first. She leaned forward in her chair, feeling the desperate need to curl up into the fetal position. The pain in her lower stomach was growing in intensity by the minute.

Her hunched over posture caught the attention of her boyfriend, Draco. He knew something was wrong just by looking at her. Luckily, he was sat next to her and was able to lean over to whisper in her ear. “What’s wrong, love?” he asked softly. Y/N responded with a small groan. This made Draco begin to panic. “Y/N, are you okay?”

She slowly straightened her spine and turned to the concerned blonde boy beside her. “I think I’m onmyperiod,” she mumbled. Draco raised his eyebrow. “Didn’t quite catch that, love,” he said. Y/N shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She glanced around the room before parting her lips to speak again. 

“I think… I’m on my period,” she whispered. “And I don’t have any...products,” she continued, the look of embarrassment beginning to settle on her facial features. Draco grabbed her hand and kissed it comfortingly. “Are you in pain?” he asked. His girlfriend nodded curtly. She was making a diligent effort to look as inconspicuous as possible. 

“Draco, I think I’ve already bled through my skirt,” she whined; her face was now beet red. Draco’s grip on her hand tightened. “Don’t worry,” he whispered, “I have a plan.”

To Y/N’s surprise, Draco’s hand shot into the air, catching Professor Binns off guard; hardly anybody ever had a question in his class. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy?” he asked. Draco cleared his throat and, in a calm and smooth voice, said, “Y/L/N’s stomach hurts. Could I escort her to the Hospital Wing to see Madam Pomfrey? I suspect someone slipped puking pastilles into her drink at lunch. If that’s the case, then at any minute now, she’ll be vomiting everywhere.”

Professor Binns scowled at the mental image of upchuck all over his clean classroom. He nodded his head. “Yes, you may take her,” he said while shooing them with his hand. Draco rose to his feet and helped Y/N to hers. He made sure to stand behind her as they exited the classroom, shielding her behind from their classmates’ gazes. 

Once they’d left the classroom and saw nobody in the corridors, Y/N let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Dray,” she said. 

“Of course. I figured you’d want to go to your dormitory to get whatever you need, but perhaps we should stop by Madam Pomfrey’s afterward? You said you were in pain.”

As if the universe had heard Draco, just then, Y/N’s abdomen clenched with another oncoming cramp. She grimaced and put her hand over her belly. “I’m fine, Draco. I just need to get cleaned up, that’s all,” she replied. Draco’s frown deepened when he saw his girlfriend's obvious discomfort. She looked quite the opposite of fine to him. He pulled her in close for a tight hug and a quick kiss. 

“You’re in pain, darling. You should at least see what Pomfrey can give you. I don’t want you to continue to walk around in pain all day.” 

Y/N opened her mouth to retaliate, but Draco stopped her with a finger to her lips before she could. “Don’t even try to tell me your cramps aren’t that bad because I know for a fact that they are since you told me yourself. Now, go do what you need to do, and I’ll be waiting for you outside the Hospital Wing. Alright?” Draco asked. 

Y/N smiled at him and flung herself into his arms. She snuggled her face into his chest and hummed in content. Draco chuckled lightly and planted a sweet kiss on her head. “Go,” he whispered as he released her from his embrace. But Y/N still hadn’t let go of Draco. He sighed, pretending to be defeated. Little did Y/N know that Draco’s hands were hovering next to her sides, preparing to strike. 

“Draco!” Y/N gasped as her boyfriend began to tickle her, causing her to burst into uncontrollable laughter that echoed throughout the hallway. He didn’t torture her forever though, he knew she was already uncomfortable enough. So he ceased his torment and sent her on her way.

------------

After classes had ended, Y/N found Draco at their usual meet up spot. Usually, he’d be sitting down, quietly surveying the corridor. But today, he was on his feet, his shoulders were tense. He was on high alert. When he caught sight of Y/N, he rushed over to her and put his hands on her shoulders as he looked her up and down. 

“Are you feeling any better? Madam Pomfrey did say that that potion might not last the entire day,” Draco said. He was visibly concerned. Y/N smiled at her boyfriend and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Draco smiled softly, but the look of worry was still stuck on his face. 

“The pain started to return about an hour ago. I’m gonna head up to my dorm for some rest. Thank you for your concern, though, my love. You’re too sweet, sometimes. If only the rest of the school knew what a softie Draco Malfoy really is,” she mused. Draco rolled his eyes and removed his hands from Y/N’s shoulders. 

“What if we went to the library instead?” he asked.

Y/N gave him a look. “I don’t know, I’d really rather take a nap in my bed…”

“I have a feeling you’ll like what I have planned much more than a simple nap,” Draco said hopefully. Y/N looked at him skeptically, doubting his words. “Do you trust me?” Draco asked. 

“Well, of course, I trust you but—”

“Then let’s go, gotta get a good spot!” he said excitedly as he gripped Y/N’s hand and dragged her down the hallway. She yelped in surprise but followed after her boyfriend, wondering what the hell he was planning.

When they reached the library, Y/N noticed that the couches were already taken by some second years. “Draco, let’s just go somewhere else. Since when do you want to go to the library anyway?” she asked. Draco ignored her and walked up to the second years. They looked up when he cleared his throat. Their faces paled when they saw who it was. “Up,” Draco said simply. The children scrambled to their feet and hurried away from the couches. When they passed Y/N, she apologized on behalf of her boyfriend. Draco shook his head at his girlfriend’s actions.

“Such a Hufflepuff you are,” he mused as she walked over to the couches and sat down next to him. Y/N rolled her eyes. “I would hope so as Hufflepuff is my house.”

Draco smiled and put his hands around Y/N’s waist and pulled her close so that she was in between his legs, her back resting against his chest. Y/N resisted his pull and turned around to look at him. “Draco, what are you doing?” she asked. Draco shushed her and rubbed her tense shoulders, gently lowering her back down onto his chest. Y/N gave in and allowed herself to let herself recline onto her blonde boy. When she got settled, Draco’s hands found her abdomen, where they tentatively began to massage it. His apprehension, however, faded once he heard a content sigh from Y/N.

“How did you know to do this?” she asked him softly. Her cramps were dwindling with every gently yet firm push of Draco’s fingers. 

“I overheard some guys talking about how they’d do this for their girlfriends, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Is it helping?” he asked.

Y/N nodded eagerly. “It feels wonderful, thank you.”

“Of course. I’ll do this for you as long as you need tonight, and tomorrow, and until your cycle is over,” Draco declared, making Y/N chuckle. 

“That’s very kind of you, Dray. I appreciate it,” Y/N replied. She felt a kiss on her head, then her ear, then her neck. A smile crept onto her face. She felt so loved, so lucky to have a boyfriend as caring as Draco, even if she was the only one who knew about this side of him. Y/N turned around in his hold. He raised an eyebrow in concern. 

“What’s wrong? Am I pushing too hard?” he asked, panicked. Y/N shook her head and pressed a kiss to his soft lips. He kissed her back tenderly as if he was afraid he’d break her. When she pulled away, she hummed happily. 

“I’m so in love with you, Draco Malfoy.”

Draco’s face turned pink, but that didn’t stop his witty reply. “Is that so, Y/L/N? Well, I hate to inform you, but it just so happens that I love you more.”

“Not true; I definitely love you more.”

“Hmm, pretty sure that’s a lie, love.”

Y/N shook her head adamantly. “It most certainly is not. I love you more; just accept it.”

Just then, Madam Pince walked over to the couple and glared at them. “Shh!” she said. Y/N nodded her head in apology. When Pince left, she delivered a light wack to Draco's chest. “You’re too loud,” she berated. Draco smiled playfully, ignoring the angry look on his girlfriend’s face.

“If I let you win, will you go back to resting?” Draco asked. Y/N pointed her nose to the sky. “Perhaps… but you must admit that you, in fact, do not love me more because it is impossible for anyone to love someone as much as I love you.”

Draco couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. He did his best to cover it up with a cough and gently urged Y/N to lay back down. “You win, darling. You love me more,” he said. Y/N smirked and snuggled back into his chest, and Draco resumed his massage.

Within a few minutes, Y/N was fast asleep. Draco stroked her face lovingly. At that moment, it was just her and him. He treasured moments like these. The sight of his girl resting peacefully on top of him filled his heart with warmth. He hadn’t felt this cozy and comfortable in a long time. Deciding to give her one last kiss, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her soft hair. “I love you most,” he whispered.

[i-simp-for-gintoki]

Visiting Yuji in Tokyo

“yuji x reader where she was childhood friends with yuji and its basically the friends to lover sort of thing? and basically reader is visiting tokyo and meets up with yuji for the first time in months?? bonus if gojo and megumi are there :)”-anon

Damn its either super short or long no inbetween huh? Sorry if this isn’t exactly what you wanted! Some of the characters are little ooc (when are they not when i write them-).This turned out much much longer than it needed to be

You and Yuji have known each other since kindergarten

He’s such a sweet kid its always really fun to hang out with him

You guys play lots of video games together and are basically inseparable

Constantly reading manga or watching anime its great

Your parents disapproved of you hanging out with a dude all the time but you could care less

Why should you only be friends with your own gender? Thats so stupid

You always wondered about why yuji had such great strength and speed but he says he was just born that way

Hes just built different

Around middle school his grandpa’s health had dropped and was moved to the hospital

You did your best to make sure yuji stayed in good spirits and often visited the older itadori with him

He’s not the best at wording things but hes always there for emotional support

Maybe it was around 7th grade you noticed something was different around yuji

Like he himself hasn’t changed but whenever you look at him your heart just melts

Your thoughts or compliments seem more filled with love for him and thats when you realized you started to fall for him

Thinking the crush would go away you didn’t act much on it

Oh what a fool you were

Around 8th grade yuji had started acting kinda weird around you

He’d be much more easy to fluster and tenses up for a second if you ever make contact

You confronted him about it and cue the very awkward and middle school like confession

“I really like you!

You were so happy you confessed back and said that the only reason you didn’t before was because you feared to ruin your friendship

He says even if he somehow didn’t like you back that something like that wouldn’t effect anything

From then on you guys are such a wholesome couple

All the cuddles

No fancy dates just casual arcade or movie sort of things

His grandpa gave him a hard time but approved of your relationship

Throughout 8th grade summer and the beginning of highschool everything was going great

But a few months into highschool lots of things happened

Yuji’s grandpa had passed away, he and his friends in the exorcist(?) club had gotten hurt and after that night he had weird markings on his cheeks right below his eyes

And to top it all off now he was supposedly moving to tokyo??

“Yuji why are you moving away? My parents would gladly take you in you know”

He tells you he can’t explain why which breaks your heart

“Who are you staying with then??” he stops for a second and it pains him to lie to you. “A distant relative of mine, he works at a private school and thats where i will be going from now on.”

“But what about us?”

And so you guys decided to do a long distance relationship

Every night when you can you call and chat for hours

But thats not enough

You want to be held or hold him, you want to just cuddle or atleast be in the same room

It pains you to have a relationship through a screen and you grow respect for those who do

Trust isn’t an issue since you know yuji wouldnt even think to cheat at all

Probably doesnt even know what the word means

But after a few months you decide to go to tokyo for a few days

With the help of your parents you rent a room in a hotel and head there

Were just gonna pretend your parents are super super chill(and slightly uncaring like my parents would never let me) and lets you go to a whole city by yourself for several nights

You were super nervous and excited

Its your first time visiting a huge city like tokyo and its gonna be the first time you see yuji in months

Itadori was super excited that you were in tokyo

So excited that he got lost trying to head to the hotel you were staying at

After an extra hour you guys finally meet

He walks through the hotel lobby doors and gives a smile and a wave

In an instant you tackle him in a hug which he GLADLY hugs back in

After just holding each other for a while he decides to show you around

Hes still clearly learning the area himself but he’s very excited to show what he does know

“The place over here makes amazing sushi! Oh! And over here they sell little action figures! Oh oh and over here the steak is kinda bad but its cheap so its worth it! And-” you could only smile as he pointed in random directions with one hand, the other was busy holding yours

Buying food from a bunch of random vendors and wearing silly getups you guys take loads of pictures

Tons of hugs and cheek kisses

Yes its frowned upon to be touchy and stuff in public in japan but honestly you guys could care less

The sun was setting and you guys were currently sitting at a park munchkin on some crepes when you turn to him

“Yuji, do you think i could visit who your staying with? I’d hate to impose but i just wanna know if your in good hands”

His chewing pauses

Its not like he didn’t want you tell about jujutsu

But he doesn’t want you to be apart of that world, he wants you to stay as safe as possible with no harm ever headed your ways

With him being a vessel for sukuna gojo had told him that he and his friends could potentially be targeted

Theres a reason sorceres put up cloaks when engaging in battles and its so normal civilians can continue living in peace without the knowledge these monstrosities actually exist

“Mm its a bit sudden and he’s out on a mis-er meeting right now so maybe tomorrow?” he says

You frown, you can tell he’s lying but he wouldn’t do it without a reason

“Fine. But Yuji. Just know that if you ever feel unsafe or want to come back your more than welcome too. There will always be a spot for you at my home” you say hugging him

You both kinda forgot you were holding crepes and when you pulled away from each other laughed as the ice cream and sauce was smeared all over your shirts/jackets

He walks you back to the hotel and says goodnight with a kiss

The next two days went by in a flash

Just spending time with itadori, even if it was just sitting in silence has been the most fun youve had in months

He had showed you many places and has boughten many small trinkets for you to remember

Your phone has grown about 300 photos just from the past couple days with him

It was about midday of your final day in tokyo and so you both wanted to make the best of it

You both where sitting inside a cafe exchanging stories and just chatting when suddenly two people walked in the cafe

One was very tall and had spiked up white hair and was wearing a blindfold, and the other had spiky/messy black hair

You didn’t think much of it at first but did question the blindfold

‘A fashion choice?’

Turning your attention back to yuji you gave him a soft smile as you listened to his ramblings about a manga

“I love you” you said cutting him off

Immediately his face turned red and whatever he was just saying turned into stuttering nonsense

Before he could respond he let out a short yell when someone placed a hand on his shoulder

It was the two dudes who walked in from earlier

“So this is what you’ve been doing.” “Fushiguro! Gojo sensei!”

The shorter one who looks yuji’s age started talking about how it wasn’t good to turn his phone on mute and go out the whole day

The tall one gives you a wave

“Sorry to interrupt your date but we gotta take yuji away for a bit” he says grabbing yuji’s collar

“Wait who are you guys?” you ask and they pause to give short introductions

“Fushiguro Megumi.” “Gojo Satoru, nice to meet ya miss girlfriend” “How did you know??” Yuji says making gojo laugh

“Its pretty obvious, you didn’t do much of a job hiding it” he says pulling yuji a little bit more.

“O-Oh im L/n Y/n, nice to meet you” you say realizing you forgot to introduce yourself

As the three chatted along with each other, you sat in silence as you tried to remember where you heard gojo’s name from

‘Oh yeah, he’s the one who yuji described as his relative. Even if it was really fast since he tends to change subjects whenever i ask’

“Wait Gojo? White hair...blind fold..are you Yuji’s relative?” you ask making both of them pause

They both turn towards yuji who gave a sheepish smile

“Thats me, im his mothers little cousin” Gojo said, a very quick and random asspull

“So why does he call you Gojo-sensei instead of uncle…Satoru?” “Well if im his moms cousin that would make me his cousin once removed wouldn’t it? And he calls me sensei since im a teacher at a school he goes to”

“And what about you?” you ask the other boy

“A classmate.” he says in a very short and uninterested tone

“Welp lets go” Gojo says dragging yuji but he quickly resists

“Wait wait! Sensei can i please stay? Today is her last day here and i don’t know when i will be able to see her again”

The teacher and student stares at each other for a long time

You have literally no clue what the blindfolded man could but thinking its so hard to read him

Then again you just met him so

Gojo sighs and lets go of yuji

“Just this once, and only because im the greatest sensei you’ve ever had. Lets go megumi. See ya miss girlfriend” gojo says walking away with a wave

Megumi looks surprised but follows him “really?” “Yeah yeah its fine, its only a couple of grade 3’s anywa…” as their voices faded when they left the building you gave yuji a look

“Are you going to get in trouble?” “im probably going to die in training…” “huh?” “nothin”

The rest of the day you guys hang out and its mmm

Yuji would be such a good boyfriend hes so wholesome

When its time for you to part he give you a big hug, kiss and ‘i love you’

You do the same and tear up a bit

With one final photo you head back to your home town

You make it a mission to visit tokyo more often and yuji tries to visit you whenever he can from then on

[taleofharrison]

Finally | Michael Clifford

Summary: You’re Calum’s sister and just broke up with your boyfriend and you think it’s time to give your crush Michael a shot.

Warnings: a mention of cheating and swearing

Requested: No, just something I wanted to write for my boy. 

Word Count: 2262

A/N: this is based from a prompt I saw around here I don’t remember exactly waht it was and sister!reader which is a prompt I’ll always be a sucker for anyways enjoy

MASTERLIST HERE

"Y/N/N!" Calum exclaimed once he opened the door and saw you, he was happy when you visited you were his sister after all but his face completely changed once he saw the tears running down your face "what happened? what's wrong?" "Ryan he-" you trailed off looking for the right words to say "we're done" The moment he heard the name of your now ex-boyfriend he knew that he had to cancel his plans with the guys to make you company and listen to whatever emotions you had to get out. He was your older brother after all and your only family in California. "Alright so get comfy" he pulled you into his house "I'm going to call Luke and tell him I can't go out today" "No Calum, don't cancel your plans because of me" you tried to stop him "I didn't know you had plans" "You're my sister and an asshole just broke your heart" he stated "You need me more than they do" "I guess there's nothing I can do to change your mind" you sighed taking a seat on the biggest couch while Calum went to his bedroom "...I can't go today my sister needs me" he said to the phone coming back to the living room pillows and blankets in his free hand "I'll see you tomorrow then" He finished the call and helped you build a small pillow fort with the couch cushions, pillows and blankets just you two used to do whenever one of you felt upset the only thing that was missing was your older sister Mali. "Now tell me what happened" Calum spoke after finding a comfortable position next to you. "Ryan and I broke up" you simple stated hoping it'd be enough for him even though you knew it wouldn't he could read you like a book "Y/N tell me what happened" he pushed "Please" It was 6-month relationship Calum just couldn't take that as an answer even though he never really liked him he knew he couldn't stop you from dating him if you were meant to last then you would last and even though it seems like it destiny didn't want it to be with a defeated sigh you prepared yourself to start talking again. "He was cheating on me" your voice became small the lump in your throat growing bigger again "You know he gave his house key I wanted to surprise for his birthday and I-I heard moans and then-" Calum's blood was boiling he more than anything wanted to go and hit him square on the face but you were more important and you were crying again this time on your brother's chest. "I gotta tell you the truth I never really liked him" his chin resting on your head "and I know you love him but he's not worth it okay" "I know you love him" his words echoed in your head. Did you love him? You started dating him the moment you accepted that maybe Michael, your crush since you were in school your brother's best friend and bandmate, just was not meant to happen. These 5 words suddenly put everything in perspective. "You did love him right?" Calum asked once your sobs suddenly stopped and you pulled away from him. He knew you better than anyone in the world he knew exactly what words made you stop. "I don't know" you whispered sure you had exchanged 'I love yous' but did you mean them? did you trick yourself into believing you love him back? did he ever love you back? Maybe you were just crying because your trust was broken. Your brain was running at full speed and your tears began again everything was confusing again. Calum was quick to hug you again he would be there to listen to you and hold you and give you as much advice as possible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "No problem mate" Luke replied to the phone "See you tomorrow. I guess" "What? Calum is not coming?" Ash asked Luke making Michael turn his head to give full attention to his best friends' conversation. "No, Y/N has a problem" Luke explained "he wants to be by her side" "Is she hurt? What happened?" Michael jumped at the answer getting a suspicious look from Ashton. "Relax mate," Luke said "she just got her heart broken. It sucks but physically she's okay" A not so subtle sigh of relief escaped from Michael's lips and Ashton could've sworn he saw a faint smirk that disappeared fast. "You seem quite happy to know that Y/N/N got her heart broken" Ashton teased and suddenly the whole attention of the two musicians was on Michael. "I-I mean she could've had an accident or-or something" he stammered "she could be in the hospital I'm relieved she's at Calums safe and sound" Ashton and Luke shared a playful smile knowing exactly what Michael was feeling. "Or maybe you're happy she and Ryan aren't together anymore and you can have a shot with her after all?" Luke inquired making Ashton burst out laughing "What?!" Michael exclaimed "I-No!" "Yeah sure," Ashton laughed "why don't you just admit you're in love with Y/N?" "I'm not-" Michael tried to defend himself "Dude" Luke interrupted him, "I think you and Y/N are the only ones who don't know you're in love with each other" "She's not-She can't-" Michael mumbled trying to find the right words "I'm just another brother to her" "No, WE are brothers to her" Ashton pointed to himself and Luke "she doesn't look at us the same way she looks at you" "You had a lot of opportunities to make a move" Luke joined Ashton in his lecture to Michael "what stopped you?" "I don't want to hurt her" he whispered looking down feet. He couldn't believe what the boys were telling him. Was he really that oblivious? Were you really in love with him? Was this just a sick joke? He knew Ash and Luke wouldn't do that but he couldn't help the doubt inside of him. He knew he was in love with you the moment you were allowed to join them on tour the gleam in your eyes when they picked you up at the airport was something he would never forget, all the times you made them laughed while playing videogames lit up his days especially the way you celebrated when he let you win and the way you smiled and dance from the wings of the stage gave him more energy than what he needed to have on stage. "I just don't want to fuck things up with her" he added with a groan. For the first time since the conversation started Luke and Ash admitted he had a point what if they broke up in bad terms? It would not only hurt her friendship with Y/N but with Calum too and it may hurt the band in a way too. "You're not going to fuck fuck up anything" Ashton assured him "Calum trusts you, Y/N trusts you AND she has feelings for you too...what do you have to lose?" "Give her time and try to make a move" Luke spoke again grabbing his shoulder showing Mike some support "You're gonna regret it if you don't so please don't let this go" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About a month later after what felt like a thousand video calls with your sister Mali and your brother Calum and eating as much pizza as possible your vision and thoughts were finally clear and you even had enough guts to meet with Ryan again, you didn't think he'd agree to meet you but to your surprise he did. As you waited for him in café Calum's words echoed in your head it was amazing the influence and connection you had with your siblings. "Y/N don't go he's not worth it" but here you were looking at the window waiting for him and maybe he was right, maybe you shouldn't be here, maybe you shouldn't have arranged this meeting but it was late your ex-boyfriend was now in the café looking for you. "Hey!" he said taking the seat in front of you "What do you want to talk about?" "Uhm-I need to clear things up a lot has happened this past month and I want to-I need answers" you explained "How long have you been cheating on me?" you asked avoiding eye contact. "Uhm-since we hit the 4-month mark I think" he answered awkwardly he wasn't expecting this. "So for two months" you weren't hurt, you were completely healed but it still surprised you. "I- Y/N I gotta be honest I never felt a strong connection from your part," Ryan said "It felt like you were waiting for someone else" "Can I ask you something? And please  be honest with me" he asked again after the silence that took over both of you, his answer was a small nod from you "Did you ever love me?" "No" it came as a barely audible whisper and in a way as word vomit "I'm sorry" "Don't be" Ryan brushed it off "We both hurt each other I guess I needed to know that to finally move on" You barely smiled at his answer "Can I hug you?" "Go for it" he chuckled "Now go after the boy who really has your heart" You smiled pulling away from him "Thank you" was the last thing you told him before making your way back to your car. You drove as fast as you could back to Calum's place he had told you he'd be with the boys songwriting and you were welcome to join them for a movie night/sleepover if your meeting turned out wrong. As you drove back you were preparing yourself, trying to come up with a speech. You were trying to focus, looking through your brain for the right words but soon you realized that it was harder than what you thought it would be. You had been in love for years now why now finding for the right words to come forward was the hardest thing you've ever done? When you parked in you knew your time was over. "It's now or never" you sighed giving yourself strength before knocking the door. "Y/N/N! How did it go?" your brother asked "You look okay" "Yeah everything went smoothly I don't know if we can be friends after but we ended up in good terms" you answered, "uhm actually I'm here to talk to Michael, can I come in?" "Uhm sure" Calum wasn't expecting that answer but had to admit he was happy you were finally going to tell Michael what you felt, he secretly had been rooting for that relationship As you walked into the living room you saw him it felt as though you two were the only ones in the room but Ashton, Luke and Calum were there too and if Luke hadn't spoken to you, you probably wouldn't have noticed them. "Hey you!" he greeted making Ashton and Michael take the attention from the sheet with lyrics they had been checking to give it to you "Is everything alright?" "Yeah everything's fine" you replied after his voice brought you back to reality "Micahel can we talk in private?" "Yeah-sure uhh" Michael answered he was taken aback by your words "Should we go to the backyard?" "Yeah, I think it's better than the kitchen" you accepted knowing that your friends would eavesdrop your conversation. You walked towards the backyard leaving the guys behind Michael got up quickly from the couch following you. "So what do you have to tell me?" he asked you once he closed the backyard door. "Okay so please don't speak let me finish first," you asked and he nodded doubtfully not really knowing what to expect. "I-I don't want to say I love you but I think I do" you took a second to rethink what you just said "Yeah that's it I'm in love with you Michael since who knows when and I really thought I could move on with Ryan because I thought I didn't have a chance with you but I just can't pretend anymore" Michael was so surprised and shocked he would be lying if he said he hadn't thought of this happening though he always imagined he would be confessing his feelings and you saying I love you back. "Please say something" you pleaded closing your eyes. Before you knew it Michael was kissing you it took you a second to kiss him back. It was the best feeling in the world. "I'm in love with you too" he breathed once you had to pull away from each other "For a few years now" You let out a breathed laugh full of relief, it had come out the way you imagined even better after a brief second you pulled him again into another kiss. "Fucking finally!" Ashton exclaimed making you both stop abruptly "Guys you have to see this!" "I guess our alone time has come to an end" Michael joked making you laugh once again and he felt his heart flutter just like every time he made you laugh "Can I take you on a date tomorrow night?" "Of course!" you exclaimed pulling him closer to kiss him another time you knew the boys were cheering you on from the house but this time you didn't care you just smiled between the kiss finally feeling happy.

[hunchoskeazo]

Chapter 3 “The Breakdown”

“So its been a few days that ive been in this hospital and aint heard from nobody wtf is up.?” As i sat there and thought because what else am I suppose to do.

*Picked up the phone and called Rik*

*Ring*

*Ring*

*Ring*

*No Answer*

( Called Ashley)

*Ring*

*Ring*

Ashley:Hello

AJ:Ashley!

Ashley:Hey Boo How you doing I been up there but you was sleep so i was gonna comeback today.

AJ:Oh... You been up here to see me?

Ashley:Why wouldn’t I? She asked so confusingly.

AJ:Oh... Nah i just aint know you came up here....They say I can get discharged tomorrow you gonna come get me..? I asked

Wait.. where is my car hold on..

(I checked my app)

“Yes i have a tracking device on the whip A nigga like me gots to.”

AJ:Oh its outside in the parking garage... Who drove it here.? You did.? I said with concern 🤔

Ashley:Uhhh no rik drove it up there...

Aj:Oh ok... (How she know that I thought to myself but didnt say nothing).“Well ight wyd rn”

Ashley:Nothing Missing you she said. She gave me the cutest look when she said that.

AJ:Dont be saying it like that girl i said with a smirk on my face.

Ashley:Ha Whyy? And Do you still need me to come get you?

AJ:Oh yeah actually leave your car imma send you a uber come here and we’ll drive my car.

Ashley:Oouu yes Ok ill be there in the morning.

AJ:Ight Bet

(Phone Hangs Up at the same time the doctor walks in and some man in a suit.)

I grimmed him “Who tf is you?” i said with a aggressive tone.

Detective:Hello Mr.Davis My name is Detective Johnson(He put his hand out for me to shake it)

(I just looked at him and his hand.)

Detective Johnson:Oookkkk then anyway. Im here for your case to try and figure out and find the person that did this to you.

“Nah Im good bro bro”

Detective John: Whether you good or not Im still on the case and im here til its closed. So either you gonna let me help you because as of right now your an innocent victim. Or you can become a prime suspect Your choice.!

“Man whatever” I said with a attitude like a bad bitch😂😂😂

DetectiveJ:Oh ok thats what i thought now can you tell me what happened.(He pulls out his pad and pen.)

“I went to visit my mans and someone started shooting next thing i know i woke up here”

Detective:(Writing on the pad) Ok who is your mans? He asked

(Dead Silence)

Detective:You gonna answer the question Mr.Davis?..

(Dead Silence)

Detective:Ok We’re done for the day Thanks Doc we’ll be in touch and i will be seeing you very soon mr davis. (He hit the back of his pen on the pad and put them both in his pocket. Right before he walked out the door He said...)

Stay Safe Mr.Davis (He side eyed me with a smirk and walked out)

Doc:Why was you not cooperating with the detective?

“I dont move like that doc” i said with a nonchalant tone.

Doc:But he’s here to protect you and help you.

“I dont need help or protection this some street shit i gotta handle that the feds cant handle the only thing they get out of it is a ceremony and funeral that they family and coworkers gotta plan for them so no i dont need they help.”

Doc: Smh just dont learn... You know what can i tell you something? She asked

“Yea go ahead” as i stared out the window.

Doc:I get alot of patients just like you in here from gang violence and me being a young black doctor its hard. Seeing young black kings lose their lives in my hands because of the streets it breaks my heart everytime.

(Guilt knocked down that brick wall of pride i had built up just moments ago.)

Im going to just say this one thing before i leave out this door just please cooperate please, because i see something in you and obviously you are on gods green earth for a reason. So please cooperate but get some rest before you leave tomorrow i will come check on you 1 last time before i let you go ok.

“I looked at her and shook my head and said “Ight I gotchu doc”

Doc:Ok Bye Mr.Davis she said so innocently and walked out the door.

(I laid back moments later the nurse walks in and looks at me with a grumpy look)

“Aye you the one that forcefully put me to sleep man you betta not be coming in here to that shit again and you in here by yourself aww hell nah this old lady about to rape me I cried out.”

Nurse:Boy shut yo ass up i dont want you im married.

“SO” i yelled out🤔

Nurse:I am about to put you to sleep tho(She hurried and grabbed the IV and injected the sleep juice in it.

“Wait wait let me—-

(Right before i fell asleep i heard the door open)

——:Pay close attention to the people around you adrian....

(It got dark)..

“I popped up it’s the next morning Dr.taylor and the nurse are already in the room.

Doc:Hello Mr Davis are you ready to go home? She said with a big smile on her face.

“Yea I am actually”(Picked up my phone and texted ashley and sent her money for the uber)

Ashley:Ok imma be on my way in 15 mins.

Doc:Ok let me finish up your paperwork and you can get dressed and leave.

“Ok” I said

As she finished my work i thought to myself was I dreaming or did someone actually come in here and say that to me.... “Fuck It” i said out loud.

Doc:Whats that..?

“Oh oh nothing” I looked at my calls Rik called me but its not a missed call...

Wtf maybe i answered but was still sleep. I hate when people call me while im sleep man.

(I called back no answer)

Ashley:Im omw babe.

I texted back “Ok im about to get dressed im just waiting on them to get done with my paperwork.

Ashley:Ok im omw.

Doc:Ok heres your discharge papers and your prescriptions that you pick up later on today ok...

(She hands me the papers)

Doc:Ok im going to let you get dressed ill be out here when you leave.

“Ight thanks doc i really appreciate you and everything you do.”

(She blushed and clutched her clipboard said thank you and walked out the room.)

“YOU LEAVE TO LADY” i said jokingly loud

(The nurse giggled walked out and shut the door i hopped up and locked it to make sure she fasho couldn’t comeback in and went to the bathroom.)

*15 mins later*

I walked out the bathroom from a hot shower someone knocked on the door.

“COME IN” i yelled

(They jiggled the knob)

Lmao “Oh yeah I forgot i locked the door”

(I unlocked and opened its ashley she walked in smiling and smelling good than a mothafucka with a couple bags in her hand.)

“Ooouueeee who told you to come up here like that red bottoms on, hair laid, lashes on eyebrows done, cleavage out wassup.”

She said “Boy stop it” as she was blushing hard. “Look I got you some stuff to put on everything i just bought yesterday.

(Breds ,Purple brand all black Jeans and a red/black vlone shirt)

“Ight bet”

(Before i was just about to reach for the stuff)

“UNHT UNHT you not gonna give me a hug first damn can i at least get a thank you..!!

I smirked “You right you right im sorry babygirl”

I hugged her and wrapped my arms around her and grabbed her ass she hugged me so tight and she smelled so good I wanted to eat her. She kissed me on my neck i sat down on the bed and pulled her close to me by her hips we started kissing.

She tongue’n the kid down i started to get hard through my towel she felt that and grabbed me and slowly started kissing me from my neck down my chest to my 6 pack...😏

*Knock Knock Knock*

She jumped up i jumped up “UH YEAH COME IN” i yelled

Doc: Its me i have one more thing to give you so stop by the desk before you leave ok.

“Ight i gotchu doc”

(Door shuts i gasped and we looked at eachother and laughed)

“Yea let me hurry up n get dressed” and looked down at mini me and said.

“Control yo self man”

She sat down and crossed her legs, bit her lip and fucked me with her eyes. I grabbed my stuff and went in the bathroom and got dressed.

(Moments later) “Ight im ready”

We grabbed all of our stuff and walked out.

“Im about to stop at this desk realquick”

“Ok” she said and walked ahead”

“Ok whats the deal doc” i asked

“Here (She gave me a card) look on the back”

It was a sticky note with a number and a name on it. I looked down the hall at ashley she was looking the other way. I looked back at doc.

“Call me whenever you need something...Anything..”

I hesitated at first then said “Ok i gotchu” and walked away.

(Caught up with ashley)

“Whats that in your hand?”

“Oh its a card she said to call them if i have any questions about anything....”

(I hurried and put the card in my pocket.)

“Unht unht give it here let me see the bitch probably put her number on the back”

“Man what” i started laughing

“Give it here” she yelled

I pulled the card out my pocket she look at both sides.

“Mmhm sneaky ass” she said in slight disappointment. “Let me find out you fuckn her.”

“Come on na babygirl” i smirked and we walked to the car..

After a long day of shopping eating and talking shit we go back to her crib.

“Omg im so tired and my feet hurt” she cried out

I laughed and said “I bet they do”

“Boy shut the fuck up you always talking shit” she said so agitated.

“I walked over to her and said say it to my face”

“Boy fuck you”

(I picked her up and carried her to the room)

“Put me down Aj you gonna drop me stop playing.” She yelled out.

I threw her on the bed and got on top of her and started kissing on her she immediately calmed down and relaxed her body n started kissing me back. She placed her hand on the back of my neck while my hand maneuvered my way between her legs.

“Oh you ready ready” i leaned up and said

She smirked and grabbed my hand and put my fingers in her mouth.

“Oml”😩 this girl so freaky i think thats why i love her.😂

She hopped up off the bed and walked real slow and sexy to the bathroom while taking her clothes off at the same time.

“Come here daddy” she demanded and waltzed in the bathroom.

“Oh you aint gotta tell me twice” i hopped up so fast i fell flat on my face pants to my ankles shirt halfway on.😂 Its up there.

I walked in the bathroom she already hot and wet. Im about to fuck this girl like a dog.

I stepped in and stood right in front of her she looking up at me and im looking down at her.

I grabbed her neck kissed her i picked her up and Pinned her to the wall and started sucking on her neck she wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck and moaned in my ear.

Now yall know when a female moan in my ears it do something to me.

I couldn’t wait i was so hard i was throbbing.

I stuck my dick inside of she gasped.

I went in slow to open her up she so warm and tight.

“Fuuuck” i said slow and low my strokes became faster her grip became tighter, she dug her nails in my back.

I went faster and deeper her moans became louder.

“Ahh AJ” she moaned

I just knew i was about to be a father.

“Fuck it” I said out loud and released.

“Dammnn“ i said outta relief because i just released so much stress.

“Damn the hospital fixed you up you aint never did that before.” She said while she finished showering.

“No cap”😂

We both finished showering she got out before me but i felt the vibes change mins later before she got out.

I finished up turned the shower off and grabbed my towel and walked out the bathroom.

“Whats up?” I asked out of concern.

“........Im not ready AJ..”

“😕Wow You not ready....Why?”

I sat on one side of the bed she sat on the other side.

“Ive been taking birth control pills”

“Man what!!! When was you gonna tell me this we just talked about this a few weeks ago and you said you was ready.” I yelled

“Well yeah that was before you stopped answering my calls and stopped being over or around me all the time.” She cried out

“Ive been working you know that.”

“AJ you know ive been told that before ive been in this same situation before and the person i was in that situation with fasho not you obviously im just scared to go back down that road because im still dealing with that by myself you have to give me that.” She said with a scratchy voice as if she was about to cry.

I started to feel guilty again by another women.

It became dead silent...

“🤔You know i never understood why mothafuckas let otha mothafuckas hold them back from their blessings that they asked for... that they been praying for... A mothafucka standing RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU”

“Maybe Im too genuine.. Maybe I aint what she want..Maybe...”

“Man Fuck this shit” I said while jumping up and storming to the living room.

“WHAT” she yelled

(She jumped up right behind me and chased after me.)

I pounced on the couch and turned the game on.

She came and stood right in front of me with her hand on her hip silk robe half way open, skin soft and shiny with the meanest sexiest look on her face.

“AJ really this what you gonna do while we talkin.?”

*Pat Tap Tap* Controller Buttons

She scooted over in front of the tv.

“Man Move” i said in agitation

She dropped her robe and i dropped my bottom lip Along with the controller.😂

“You ready to listen now?”

“Yes maam” i said with such thirst that i was ready for whatever.

I laid back on the couch and she climbed on top of me and was under a spell after that.

What can I say Imma sucka😋😁

Fb:HunchoSkeazo

Ig: HunchoSkeazo

Tumblr:HunchoSkeazo

Youtube:Huncho Skeazo

We The Future Ent Copywrite 2020

[hillywooddestiel]

Stranger Things Have Happened: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: Quiet in the Library

Characters: Sam, Dean, Y/N Winchester, Steve, Jonathan, Nancy

Warnings: violence

Word count: 1.5k

Series description: Hawkins, Indiana, November 1983. The Winchesters got out of hunting and decided to settle down in a small town. The youngest of the three, Y/N, just wants to get on with her somewhat normal life and go to a good college. But that’s a little tricky when disappearances start occurring, including her friend Barbara Holland, and there’s reports of a mysterious new girl in town. Can she balance boyfriends, teen drama and monster hunting?

A/N: Hi, me again! I am getting pretty into this series again now that the action is picking up so hopefully I will write some more soon. Once this series is done, I think I’m going to put it on Wattpad so look out for that. Enjoy xx Series Masterlist Masterlist

Story:

12th November 1983, Hawkins, Indiana…

I managed to get back in without being heard. Swiftly, I dumped my gear in my wardrobe, shimmied out of my clothes into my pyjamas and snuggled under my sheets. I barely slept for more than two hours, drifting in and out of consciousness until my alarm started beeping furiously at me. Groaning, I slapped it repeatedly until the shrill sound stopped. At least it’s Saturday.

Sam already has a plate of breakfast ready for me when I come into the kitchen, grabbing his keys and giving me a kiss on the head before speeding out of the door for work. Once he’s gone, I jump up to the phone and dial Nancy’s number, knowing it by heart.

“Hey Nance! It’s Y/N.”

“Hi. What’s up?” She replies, sounding a little shaky.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to meet up today. We could go and get slushies at the movies. I hear The Terminator is good.”

“Um…” her end of the line goes quiet.

“Nancy? You still there?”

“Yeah. Um, I’m actually going out with Steve today.”

“Oh. Okay, tomorrow maybe?”

“Maybe. I’ve gotta go bye.” She hangs up. Well that was uncharacteristically weird. Then again, disappearing into a tree is just weird weird. Still, it’s no use wasting the day- I think I’m long overdue a trip to the library.

“Hey Sam!”

“Hey Y/N/N! What are you doing here?” Sam puts his papers down and approaches the front desk.

“Just some research for a school project.” I lie through my smiling teeth.

“But you just handed in a project. What’s this one for?” He inquires.

“Err… biology. Animals of prey.”

“Alright. Well you know that the animals section is just over there by the computers.” Sam points to the high shelves stacked with thick books.

“Thanks Sam!” I grin, hurrying over in the general direction of where he pointed. Except it’s not the animals section that I want- it’s mythology. When he’s not looking, I swerve to the right and head towards the dusty corner of the library.

Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, sirens, Greek gods. You name it, there’s a whole book of incorrect facts about it in here. It may seem pointless to some- why would I be looking for information in here if I know most of it is wrong? Well, some hunters like to write. There are a select few names to look out for that I know for a fact will be full of info that will be of use to me. This is a small town so it has the library to match however I do find three different books on monsters that, at a glance, seem to be potentially useful. Before sitting at a desk and doing some research, I make sure to pick up a few books on lions to use as decoys should Sam come over. I grab paper and a pen from the stand that says ‘Help yourself!’ and get to work.

Wendigo- occur when a man becomes so hungry, he is driven to cannibalism. Tend to feed every 20 years or so, hunting for their prey (humans) in forests at night. Will feed on wildlife in particularly difficult periods. Rugaru- appears human for the most part, completely transform after feeding on human flesh. Many try to resist the urge to feed but fail and start to feed frequently. Ōkami- also appear human except for their large, canine-like, teeth when feeding. Feed on human flesh but have a tendency to develop a favourite kind of prey. Nachzehrer- appear human, feed on human flesh and hearts. Some prefer the dead to the living. Vetala, kitsune, rakshasa, lamia- it appears that many monsters have a taste for people while also looking like them. This thing could be walking around town and I wouldn’t even know. None of the articles mention faceless monsters though. That’s one of the only details I have describing this thing. Not a single monster truly fits the information I have, it’s all just maybes and possibilities. Until I reach the final book.

It’s battered and worn, probably read countless times and added to along the way. The leather binding has been repaired, most recently with tape, and it smells like Bobby’s attic. Each page is yellowed, stained with whisky and that kind of crispy that paper goes when it gets wet and then dried off. This was a hunter’s journal. I struggle to read the smudged name on the first page. S something Cam… nope, the ink is too blotchy. Well whoever you were Mister Cam-whatever, let’s hope you know what this thing is. The first few pages are the usual, common monsters and how to kill them, so they don’t interest me. What does is they last few sections entitled ‘Alternate Realities’. Sketchy drawings of what must be monsters on pages from notebooks are inserted next to paragraphs upon paragraphs describing places, creatures, things lurking in the dark. These descriptions seem to be recordings of statements from witnesses, names that mean nothing to me written carefully next to each one along with old phone numbers and addresses.

‘The entire place was overgrown. Even when the sun came up, it was like it never really did. Not fully. I could barely see. It was a jungle or something, all trees and rocks. I don’t know how I got there and I don’t know how I got back. It was as easy as falling asleep and waking up from a nightmare.’

‘It was night time. All the time. And it smelled disgusting. Plus there was this thing chasing me wherever I went. At first I thought it was my imagination but my imagination isn’t that vivid. I could hear it screeching and coming after me. It was strange, like our world but cold and just wrong. I’ve talked to other people and they believe me. They said they’ve been there too.’

‘I was in a desert. It was hot and all I could see was sand dunes and blue sky. But then there was this thing coming after me. It looked like a man but it moved like a bear and really fast. I was lucky it only got a taste of me.’

“How goes the research?” Sam makes me jump as he comes over. Hurriedly, I hide the journal under a stack of books and pull out one on lions.

“Good I guess. You know, lions, tigers, bears.”

“Oh my. Looks like you’ve made a lot of notes.” He peers over to see my pages of paper which I jump to cover. Way to act natural Y/N!

“Yeah, I’m gonna meet up with Nancy and pool our findings. Actually, I think I’m pretty much done here so I’m gonna put these away and go for a snack at the diner.”

“Oh okay. At least order something a little bit healthy.”

“I will.” Yeah, the strawberries in jelly count right? Once Sam leaves, I fold my sheets of paper away and sneak the journal into my rucksack. It’s not technically stealing since it’s a library: people take books out all the time! The rest of the books, I put them back on their shelves and head out of the library. Small town means limited parking so it’s a long walk back to my car.

There are lots of people milling around town today, I suppose because it’s a Saturday and actually quite a nice morning for November. I nice quiet-

“Kick his ass, man!” What the hell is going on now? I increase my speed down the path, looking down the side streets until I reach the alley behind the cinema. Jonathan Byers and Steve Harrington are throwing punches at each other while Nancy begs them to quit it and Steve’s dopey friends jeer along.

“Jonathan stop! Stop! You’re gonna hurt him.” Nance tries to pull Jonathan off of Steve. Is it just me or shouldn’t she be trying to stop her boyfriend and not her monster hunting buddy? Steve gets knocked to the ground with blood pouring from his nose and Jonathan jumps on top of him- I should probably stop this.

“Hey!” I yell, sprinting over to break them up. Without even really looking, Jonathan swings his fist in my direction, missing me by miles. But he’s clearly not stopping anytime soon. If I don’t act soon, Steve will likely end up in hospital with a lot more than a broken nose and a black eye. “Stop it!” I pull Jonathan off of Steve, sending my own fist into his face in the hopes that it’ll snap him out of whatever crazed trance he’s in.

“Woah new girl!” Tommy cheers, but his face soon falls when a cop car pulls into the alley.

Tommy pulls Jonathan off again as he punches one of the officers in the nose. I stand to the side as he puts him in cuffs while Steve and Tommy make a break for it.

“I got this one!” The arresting officer calls to his colleague before turning to me, “I saw you too, don’t think you’re getting off lightly!” Nancy just stares at me in disbelief, her mouth agape. I’m not going to be able to lie my way out of this one.

STHH tags:

@marslovesme @bluedefundead @elenavaldez09 @mysanityisgone27 @adridedong @princess-of-erebor1992 @coffeeandwinchesters

[bi-galacticgargleblaster]

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 92 truths about you. At the end choose 25 people to be tagged. 

I was tagged by: I’m just gonna say that @this-blog-i-like-it tagged me because it was kinda left open and I love oversharing

LAST: Last Drink: Water, gotta keep hydrated Last Phone Call: With my mum because she was asking if I wanted a lift Last Text Message: “Hi there ^_^ -Heather”  Last Song You Listened: An 8-bit remix of Centuries lol Last Time I Cried: This is kinda difficult for me to remember actually? My eyes have watered occasionally but I’ve not full on cried for a while

HAVE YOU EVER: Dated Someone Twice: Depends how you define a 3 month long on/off relationship Been Cheated On: I’m pretty sure not (I’d like to think not at least)  Kissed Someone and Regretted It: Ayyy haven’t we all Lost Someone Special: Depends how you define “lost” I guess? Been Depressed: Yep hella, luckily not so much anymore Been Drunk and Thrown Up: A few times but generally I’ve learned my limits now (the last time it happened I’m pretty sure it was the dodgy take out) 

IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE YOU: Made a New Friend: Yep uni is great  Fallen Out of Love: That’s a yes  Laughed Until You Cried: Of course Met Someone Who Changed You: Everyone changes everyone they meet I guess?  Found Out Who Your True Friends Were: Not in a dramatic way? But there’s people I’ve fallen out of contact with Found Out Someone Was Talking About You: No?

GENERAL: How many people on tumblr do you know in real life?: Probably less than 10 but more than 5? Do you have any pets?: My smol cat son Felix ^-^ Do you want to change your name?: Kinda? I do want to change it to something a bit less gendered but at the same time people already know me by this name and I don’t know what I’d change it to :/  What time did you wake up this morning? : 7:10  What were you doing last night?: Nsfw things lol Name something you cannot wait for: My society to get going again at uni :D  Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Yeah a couple What’s getting on your nerves rn?: Packing and uni prep in general :s Blood type: Considering how many blood tests I’ve had over the years I should really know this one, but sadly it’s never been a test they’ve run Nickname: I used to be (affectionately?) called “Heavsy” in high school quite a lot by the popular kids, unsure why but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t malicious Status: Single pringle lol  Zodiac sign: Taurus Pronouns: She/her (but I might start experimenting with he/his as well? I’m having a gender crisis tbh)  Favorite tv show: Love me some Torchwood High school: Quite a small grammar school  College: The follow on 6th form from the high school Hair color: Green :D but my roots are coming through horrendously now so it’s like 50% brown as well  Long or short: Short but growing it out long again Do you have a crush on someone: So many people  What do you like about yourself: My boobs

FIRSTS: First surgery: When I was like 10 or so I had some kind of operation to help with my juvenile arthritis, idk if that counts as a surgery but I was in hospital and high af on gas and air First piercing: Got my ears done when I was 15 I think?  First best friend: Some girl at my primary school First sport you joined: I swam from a very early age First vacation: No idea sorry  First pair of sneakers: first ones that I had a choice over were those weird “shape up” ones but I had mismatched laces so that made them cool right? Eating: There’s a pack of parma violets next to my chair but I’m not eating them very fast lol  Drinking: Just plain water  I’m about to: Try on a dress I bought today for £1 at a charity shop :D  Listening to: 8-bit remix of Pumped up Kicks atm Waiting for: Getting back to uni tomorrow  Want kids: Nope Get married: Depends on a lot of things, I’m not sure I can make that kind of commitment though  Career: I certainly hope I’m gonna go into electronic engineering 

WHICH IS BETTER:

Lips or eyes: Lips imo, most people have nice eyes but really nice lips are rare Hugs or kisses: Hugs but kisses are a very close second Shorter or taller: Both are good?  Older or younger: Older generally, can’t really see myself with anyone younger Romantic or spontaneous: You can be romantically spontaneous and spontaneously romantic? Both is good Sensitive or loud: Sensitive Hook up or relationship: Hook ups all the way (for now at least) Troublemaker or hesitant: Half of me loves drama but the other half is very anxious about causing or being involved in it

HAVE YOU EVER:

Kissed a stranger: are we counting tinder dates as strangers?  Drank hard liquor: Yep Lost glasses/contacts: Not that I can remember (not worn them in a long time) Sex on first date: That’s literally my life rn Broken someones heart: Probably :s  Been arrested: Nope  Turned someone down: Yep Fallen for a friend: So many 

DO YOU BELIEVE: In yourself: Generally  Miracles: Nah  Love at first sight: I barely believe in love (#edgy)  Heaven: Seems improbable  Santa Claus: Nah

Tagging - @bonesintheroses @golurkkoopa @tris-holmes @idiotonaspaceship @egosumnerdus @spudsthepiget @jackdaw-crest and anyone else I might have missed + anyone who sees it and wants to ^_^ 

[cajunroe]

winnix + festival!au ↳ of all the places lewis nixon expected to ruin his life, a local festival wasn’t it. nix had never counted on a lot of people in his life, but the one constant was his best friend, dick. when things got too hectic during his parents’ divorce or when he needed a place to sleep off a hangover or when he simply needed to be with dick, his best friend was always there. dick was the only person in nix’s life that was always there, no matter what. so after their high school graduation, when dick tells nix that he enlisted in the army, nix had no choice but to follow him, to be there for dick as much as he’d been there for nix. five years later, and nix is shot in the lung during a routine recon mission and his lung collapses. he’s shipped to the hospital, then straight home without so much as a goodbye to dick. and he’s angry. angry that he was shot, that he hadn’t been paying enough attention to his surroundings, and that he was back where he’d started. most of all, he’s mad that he’d left dick alone. furious that he’d failed, he couldn’t be there for dick like dick had been for him. still, he writes dicks nearly everyday and every couple of weeks he gets a letter back and nix is happy he can at least provide dick something since he can’t be there with the man he loves. and that’s been it, hasn’t it? everything nix has ever done has been because of his love for his best friend. and he wants to tell the man in person, so he waits. waits for the letters, waits for dick’s tour to be over with, waits for the day he could see his best friend again. he gets his wish when harry and kitty drag him to the summer festival just outside of town. nothing prepares him who he sees, for what he does, and the consequences that follow.

nix had just finished a letter to dick, when harry text him. he sealed the white envelope and opened his phone.

harry: heyyyyyyyyy nix. what’re you doing?

nix: nothing...why?

harry: oh i don’t know, but there’s a festival outside of town! do you want to go? please say yes.

nix thought for a long moment, he hadn’t been out in a while, choosing instead to lose himself in work and whiskey. he knew it was cliché but his heart was aching and work and whiskey helped soothe the ache. 

and, he hadn’t seen harry and kitty since they came back from their vacation and harry had proposed.

still, something about the way harry was texting that gave nix paused. 

nix: what’re you planning?

harry: nothing, kitty and i are going and i know you’re too busy drowning your lovestruck sorrows. thought you could use a night out.

nix smiled, happy that one night he and harry had gotten too drunk and shared their troubles. 

too drunk and stumbling their way through nix’s apartment, the two men fell to the ground laughing.

that night, harry had told him that he thought kitty was out of his league and that he loved her too much and that he was scared that she’d say no when he proposed. 

dick, nix, and harry had been friends since sixth grade. harry nearly followed nix and dick into battle, but he’d met kitty and he wasn’t willing to risk losing her for anything. he’d made sure to write them both while they were away though, and they were a highlight for the dark nights the two had spent on the other side of the world. he was family.

so after nix reassured harry that kitty loved him just as much as he loved her, nix told harry his biggest secret. after six attempts, he finally told harry that he was in love with his best friend.

harry laughed loudly like he knew something nix didn’t before looking at nix accusingly.

“wait!” he slurred. “i thought i was your best friend.”

the two burst into laughter and that was that.

harry had never said another word about until nix got a particularly frightening letter telling him that dick wouldn’t be out of contact for a whole month.

nix had finished three glasses of whiskey before he answered harry’s question of what the letter had said.

the first words out of harry’s mouth were, “he’s gonna be fine, nix. he always is. he’s gonna come home.”

nix sighed shakily and cried in harry’s arms.

nix sighed, he owed so much to harry. he could put on a smile and pretend to enjoy himself for a couple of hours. he text harry back.

nix: alright, pick me up at six?

harry: awesome! kitty and i are so excited.

nix: you two need to get out more. it’s just a festival.

harry: we’ll see about that.

nix was about to respond and ask what harry meant, but mrs. alcorn had just brought her saint bernard in. it was going to be a long day.

before he knew it, he was changed and waiting for harry. 

the man in question burst through the door, out of breath.

nix was about to speak when harry yelled at him, “what the hell are you doing here?”

nix laughed, “i work here harry.”

harry gestured wildly with his arms, “yeah but you’re not supposed to be here today, you’re supposed to be home.”

“and?”

harry stated again, with a stern tone, “you are supposed to be home.”

“and we’ve established that i’m not at home. now are we going to argue this all night or are we going to eat our body weight in cotton candy and win every stuffed animal possible for kitty?”

harry laughed, but nix could tell he was still nervous about something. before he could ask harry, kitty walked through the door.

“hello lewis, oh you look perfect!”

nix looked down at his black t-shirt and jeans and his beat up black boots.

“i guess?” he shrugged.

“well boys, we really should be going.”

the three of them climbed into kitty’s jeep. nix put on his sunglasses and kicked his feet up on the edge of the jeep, feeling the sun on his skin and the wind in his hair. he wondered what dick was up to about now. if he was safe. and if he was thinking of nix as much as nix was thinking about him.

the festival was in full swing when the three of them got there. after they got in kitty immediately dragged nix to the nearest popcorn stand.

nix smiled and laughed as she immediately shove a handful of kettle corn into her mouth.

“you have a bigger sweet tooth than dick. that man could find sugar in a mile radius, i swear.”

nix’s laugh sounded hollow until kitty joined him.

“did i ever tell you the time he stole a giant jar of jellybeans from mr. richmond’s store because of finals?”

nix started laughing, he didn’t need to hear it, he’s the one who had dared dick to do it. knowing mr. richardson wouldn’t think twice. he told kitty as much.

“lewis nixon! you are a bad influence!”

he shrugged, smiling bright at kitty’s laughter. nix looked for harry, knowing he loved talking about their good old day and saw him speaking animatedly into his phone.

“oh my god, look at that giant stuffed shark! you have to win that for web, lew! his birthday is tomorrow.”

lewis hadn’t forgotten, in fact he had ten separate text messages reminding him. 

kitty was pulling him towards the game and when he saw what it was he face went pale.

it was one of those shooting game where you had to shoot the targets before the clock ran out. 

kitty looked worried, “shit, i’m sorry nix. i didn’t think, we can ju-”

nix smiled, “it’s okay kitty,” he turned to the bored teenager behind the stand, “what do i have to hit to get that shark?”

“you gotta shoot all the men down on the back board,” the kid gave nix a look, “think you can do that old man?”

nix scoffed, he was barely twenty-. 

“i can certainly try, though we did forget my glasses at the old folks home kitty.”

kitty laughed, smug in their shared secret from the worker.

nix loaded the small beads, noticing how weird the difference in weight from the ammunition he was used to, and placed the too-light rifle against his shoulder.

in less than five seconds all of the little men dropped and so did the kid’s jaw.

“that was amazing man.”

nix shrugged, “that’ll be one giant shark please.”

the kid took it down and kitty wrapped her short arms around it and hugged it to her.

nix was staring at the rifle still in his hands when a voice called out behind him, effectively turning his world upside down and stopping his heart in one sentence.

“it’s been a long time since i saw you with a rifle in your arms.”

lewis looked to kitty who looked like she was about to explode from excitement.

he slowly turned around and saw dick standing there, smiling and anxious and alive.

nix let out a harsh breath, trying to regain his composure. 

then dick opened his mouth again, “it’s...it’s good to see you nix.”

at the sound of his name leaving his best friend’s lips again broke the wall that nix carefully cultivated over the many, many years he’s been in love.

blind with pure joy and happiness, nix ran to dick and kissed him square on his mouth.

his lips were pressed against his best friend’s for a long moment before he pulled away like he’d been burned.

he saw dick’s shocked expression and knew that he’d officially ruined their friendship and essentially ruined his entire life. because he didn’t know who he was without dick. couldn’t remember and didn’t want to remember a life without him.

“dick,” nix’s heart raced and his breathing shortened, “i-i-i’m sorry.”

and then he ran. 

he ran like he did in basic, hard and fast and without an end in sight. 

he ran until his lungs and legs couldn’t take it anymore. 

when he finally stopped, somewhere in the woods outside the festival, he crashed against a tree and fought off the tears that wanted to fall so desperately.

kitty watched the kiss, happy that two of her boys were finally getting together. then she saw dick’s absolute shock and nix’s withdrawal into himself and then run away.

then she saw dick’s hands shakily touch his lips and his expression shift from happiness to confusion to exasperation to fondness.

dick walked up to her and kissed her cheek, “hi kitty. congratulations. bye kitty.”

then she saw dick run after the man he loved since high school. she loved that harry could never keep a secret.

dick ran toward nix until the man took a sharp right into a crowd and he lost him.

“think dick, think.” he said to himself, trying to think of where nix would go to hide. he looked towards the woods just behind the ferris wheel and ran as fast asa he could.

nix wasn’t panicking so much as completely losing it. he didn’t know what made him think kissing dick then and there, but he...he wouldn’t take it back. even if dick never talked to him again, nix just couldn’t find it in himself to take it back.

maybe he could play it off as a joke. no that would only work if he were still standing there, not running away from everything that had scared him since he was sixteen. he was always running away from this and now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag, he felt an enormous weight lift off him. he felt like he could breathe again.

“there’s you are nix.”

and then he couldn’t breathe again because dick was laughing and sitting next to him, close as can be and nix’s skin felt electrified. 

the two sat in silence for several minutes before dick spoke.

“lew, please, look at me.”

nix shook his head. he tried to will his body to move, to run again, but he couldn’t. 

“fine, then at least listen.”

nix nodded, still looking at his hands.

“do you remember when we borrowed my dad’s car and went to the beach?”

nix nodded again.

“that day was perfect for me, nix. it was just you and me, the warm sand, bottomless ocean, and the radio playing our favorite songs. that day has gotten me through so many dark nights, lew.”

nix looked at dick out of the corner of his eye saw dick was staring at him, intensely.

he nodded for lack of something better to do because he thought about that day a lot too.

“there was a moment when you were talking about getting you vet’s license and just helping animals because people were self-serving and dogs never deserved anything bad that happened to them. then you said that you could imagine us having a lot of dogs. at the time i took it to mean, that we would each have dogs, but you meant us, together.”

nix let the tears finally falls, noticing through blurred eyes that dick looked worried.

but he continued, “and after you said that you looked at me and the sun was starting to set and it hit you...and you were glowing like a beacon of something i’d always needed but wasn’t aware of until that moment. i...,” dick gently pulled nix’s slightly wet face up until he was looking at dick, waiting for the words where dick would tell him they couldn’t see each other anymore.

dick smiled as he wiped the tears from nix’s cheeks.

“i fell in love with you that day, lewis nixon.”

nix’s breath stopped, shocked and a little upset that dick was saying it first.

“maybe even before that, but in that moment, i knew.,” dick laughed softly, slightly in shock that he was finally able to say this words, “and ever since then i’ve been trying to tell you exactly how i felt. and i do...really love you nix.”

nix looked into dick’s eyes and found nothing but truth and love.

he surged forward and kissed dick with everything he hasn’t gotten to say yet and the two of them fell to the ground.

when they eventually parted, love crazed and a little hot under the collar, nix smiled the widest and happiest smile to ever grace his lips.

“i love you too, dick. so fucking much.”

dick kissed nix again, soft and sweet.

nix sighed, “i don’t think i’ll ever get enough of that.”

they smiled at one another when they heard leaves crunching beside them.

“i’m gonna have to ask you two to stop, we’ve been gettin’ reports of an eskimo and a drunk making out in the woods.”

they looked up and laughed when they saw who it was.

george luz, voted class clown of their graduating class, dressed in full uniform.

nix laughed, “shut up luz. i was just giving our nation’s hero a proper welcome home.”

luz scoffed and pulled his phone out to take a picture of them and then his fingers were flying across the screen.

nix was about to ask what he was doing, when toye came up behind luz, mumbling about damn kids, “oh you found them.”

dick smiled when he noticed toye’s hand.

“hey toye, are those brass knuckles regulation?”

toye laughed, “hell no, but they add a personal touch, don’t you think?”

dick laughed and nix couldn’t take his eyes off of him.

“yeah they do.”

luz clapped his hands after putting his phone back in his pocket.

“let’s go enjoy the festivities, huh?”

the four of them left the woods and dick’s hand found nix’s in an instant.

nix squeezed his hand tightly before lacing their fingers together.

nix had never felt more at home than with dick’s hand entwined with his own.

anonymous - thank you!

send me a pairing and an au and i’ll make an aesthetic post + ficlet 

[aghostpost]

Oh my god I love you and your Frank X Reader stories to pieces. Can you please write more? I would really love to see a fluff piece that turns into fun sexy times. Possibly with a guest appearance from Max for a hot second? I love seeing Frank being an actual teddy bear with the reader, but we all know that man can be smooth as fuck when he wants to be. Thank you for your time!

I was scrambling around my apartment on my cell having possibly the longest and worst day of my life. “Ms. Johnson, you asked for a two-layer cake and 24 cupcakes three months in advance; you can’t expect me to provide you with cake pops and another dozen cupcakes two days before your event.” I was shuffling through order receipts when there was a knock on my door. “Thank God,” I sighed, rushing to open the door. “Yes, I understand, but we already have other orders we’re working on at the shop.” I opened the door and in walked Frank, surprisingly with his dog beside him. “You brought Max?” I shouted in a whisper.

“I was walkin’ him when you called me over,” he explained.

“No, Ms. Johnson- Even if your party wasn’t until late afternoon there’s no way we’d be able to have all that done. Mixing, baking, cooling, decorating which takes hours in itself, setting; I’m sorry, it’s just impossible.” My other line beeped; Tyler, one of my decorators. “Ms. Johnson can you hold for just one second, please?” I took a deep breath before clicking over. “Tyler? Please tell me you fixed that wedding cake…”

You know how when your morning is hard, you expect the rest of your day to go to complete shit? Well, that’s what happened to me. From the moment I stepped outta bed my day went spiraling downhill and I haven’t been able to slow the momentum yet. I spilled my coffee, the only thing that powers me through the early morning, which I shoulda known was a bad sign. Because of that I was late to open up the bake shop, having to clean up the spill before leaving a sticky mess on my kitchen floor and then stop to buy a cup on my way to work. Then I realized I had an event in less than two hours to deliver and set up six dozen cupcakes for, so I’m speeding, and of course I get pulled over and ticketed.

Things calm down finally, but only for a few hours. I make it to lunch without pulling my hair out when I get a call from Ben and Tyler. They were delivering a wedding cake when the flower girl ran by and bumped Tyler into a wall. Luckily they didn’t drop the cake but it tilted and one of the wooden dowels tore a hole in the fondant. I didn’t ask how big or how small because let’s face it, on your wedding day a hole is a hole. I instructed them not to tell the bride until after the ceremony, fix the cake, and I didn’t wanna hear anymore about it unless it was good news. I needed good news on a day like this.

Or Frank. It was the Fall which was one of the two major wedding seasons and also the start of holiday season, which meant I was busier than ever. I was booked solid every day for this week and the next two. It was all work and no play around here and nowhere in my schedule was there room for Frank Castle. But today I needed relief, a break from all the chaos that was coming at me full force. I asked Frank to come over to help take my mind off things, not expecting Max to tag along. He was a big dog and my apartment couldn’t accommodate him. I had paperwork strewn about that I couldn’t handle him getting into. Paperwork and… and really expensive furniture! And of course the moment I thought it I stumbled over him, bumping into a shelf and knocking a decorative flower onto the hardwood where it crashed into a hundred pieces. “Damn it- Max!” I sighed and slid against the wall onto the floor, praying for this day to end already. I was just fucking suffocating. I felt like my own hands were wrapped around my throat, like I was the cause of my own stress.

I choked as a few tears silently slid down my face, not wanting to make too much noise and worry Frank, or in case Tyler could hear. I took a few deep breaths, wiping my face and getting back to my call. “I have Ms. Johnson on the other line. Fix the cake; if you can’t, tell Mrs. Ward we’re prepared to take $50 from the cost of it. Actually, send me a picture of the hole, I’ll name a price reduction based off the damage; I need to see it with my own eyes. Yes, do everything you can to fix it. I gotta go. Max- No!” He was nosing around in the dirt spreading it around everywhere and Frank was nowhere in sight. I shooed him away from the mess and stood to find my broom and dust pan as I clicked back to my other line. “Ms. Johnson, you there? Hi.”

After explaining to this woman that I couldn’t magically patty cake my way into baking her a cake as fast as I could without even a full 48 hours notice, we got off the phone and I cleaned up what was once a beautifully potted orchid. “Max, go! Go… find your dad or something!” I rested the flower by the kitchen sink on a paper towel and went to sweep up the dirt when my cell went off. The picture of the wedding cake. I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst. “I’m a good person,” I whispered to myself. “Good people deserve good things. I’m cashin’ in my karma chips; please, pretty please do not let this cake be ruined.” After opening the picture I sighed in relief; it wasn’t disaster, but it was noticeable even after they did a patch job. I dialed Ben’s cell and cleaned.

“As long as the repair isn’t facing the guests it’s fine; it won’t be in any pictures, everything will be okay… No, we most certainly are not… Well if you’d like to handle Ms. Johnson’s order by 2pm Saturday, be my guest. I’ve got more than enough on all ten of my plates- And I need you guys to be out of there in the next thirty minutes and help Makayla at that birthday party downtown… I don’t know, the mom wanted the cake to have some kinda explosion shit goin’ on, and you know Kayla can’t turn down a challenge.” Out of nowhere Frank was beside me. I rushed to dry whatever wetness remained in my eyes as he took the broom and dust pan from my hand and went over to my kitchen garbage can. I took the opportunity to grab the order sheets from my coffee table; less mess for the dog to get into. “We have four Halloween parties booked this year, and one of them is a charity event that wants to have a cupcake bar. I’m thinking five different flavors, 20 cupcakes each?” I went to place the order forms on my desk when Frank came and took them from my hand. “Wait, I don’t want Max getting into those. Just put ‘em on my desk, please? Ben you still there?”

I sat at my kitchen bar with a pen and my idea pad I always kept around and planned to jot down how to attack this charity event but Frank took my arm and pulled me up. “Ben, h-hold on a sec- Frank?” I pressed the mouthpiece of my phone to my chest. “Just gimme like five more minutes.”

“Take all the time you need.” He said that, but still pulled me away from my working space. I sighed and put my cell on speaker and pulled out the notes app instead.

“Okay Ben? So how about vanilla, chocolate, umm… We can do carrot cake; that’s orange and festive, right? Red velvet, I like that. Maybe… pumpkin spice?” Frank pulled me by the hand to the bathroom as I spoke on the phone and to my surprise, had a bath running this entire time. I didn’t even hear it, I was so distracted. “What is this?” I whispered. “Frosting?” I then asked Ben, bouncing back to our conversation. “Cream cheese, butter cream, chocolate. We don’t need one for each cupcake, right? That should cover it, don’t you think?” Frank closed the toilet seat and sat on it before hooking a finger in my belt loop and pulling me in front of him. Silently he unbuckled my belt and then my jeans; my hand slowly massaged the shaved part of his head as he worked. “I’m definitely working the event. Owners attend charity events, it’s good for business and more importantly good karma. Plus it’s for the children’s hospital; you know how I feel about kids…” He tugged my jeans downward and I stepped out of them, resting a hand on his firm shoulder for support. “Where are we on the wedding cake? Did we piss off a bride or what?”

He reached up and unbuttoned my flannel shirt, taking his time, watching his fingers work each button. And I was watching his fingers, too. I watched them often; they did very beautiful things. “How long is it gonna take you guys to get to Kayla? After that party I want you guys closing up shop and heading home; we got another long day tomorrow. An early one.”

His hands rested on my waist as he leaned forward to press kisses light as a feather to my stomach. “Shirt,” he grunted. I rested my cell on the bathroom counter and pulled my arms from the sleeves, letting it fall on top of my jeans. He rose from the toilet and stood behind me, looking at me in the mirror as I spoke on the speaker. Calloused hands brushed against my skin as he unclasped my bra and slid the straps from my shoulders, dropping it on the same pile with my other things. Surprisingly he tangled his hands in my hair, running his fingers through for a moment before piling the strands on top of my head and reaching for a hair clip by the sink. I couldn’t help but laugh at his attempt at pinning up my hair. “What?” he asked, a smirk threatening to crack his face. “Somethin’ like that, huh?”

I looked in the mirror at the sloppy pile on top of my head. It wasn’t the neatest job but hey, it did work. “Uhhh, yeah, somethin’ like that. Ben, I’ll call you back, alright?” The call ended and I resumed laughing at Frank’s efforts while he barely broke a smile.

“Here I was thinkin’ I was doin’ somethin’ nice for you…”

I turned to him, resting my hands on his chest. “You are. Thank you so much for getting my hair outta the way.”

He took his index finger inside the waistband of my panties, snapping me with the elastic. “You’re welcome. Get in.” As I removed my underwear and climbed in he undressed himself, pulling his navy blue henley over his head and tossing it to the side. I stepped inside the steaming tub and watched him, appreciative that he was giving me a show. Of course Max tried to sneak his way in, poking his nose in and sniffing at Frank’s jeans. “Get,” was all he said as he shooed him away, closing the bathroom door. I could stare at him in his boxers for days but wasn’t disappointed when he shed those. Much better view. Finally he climbed in behind me and got situated. Moments like this I was thankful that I splurged a bit on having a large whirlpool tub installed; Frank was just short of being a giant compared to me.

“Someone had a long day,” he claimed.

“What gave it away?”

“Here, sit up.” I got settled between his legs and immediately he got to work on my back. Strong and rough hands softened only by the bath water worked every knot and kink in my lower back. My eyes closed; this is exactly what I needed on a day like this. “You were cryin’.” He didn’t ask but stated. “Don’t say you weren’t; I’ve seen enough tear-stained faces to know.”

“Overwhelmed.”

“S’at why you called me over? Needed a stress reliever?”

I smiled to myself. “Is that so bad?”

“No. Glad I could be of service.”

“Stop, you know it’s not like that. I just… I missed you is all,” I said with a shrug. “I don’t like being too busy to see you, too busy to even talk.”

“I didn’t ask you to overbook yourself, missy.”

“Yeah yeah, I know it’s all my fault. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

“To squeeze me into your schedule?”

“Exactly.” I felt myself melt into his hands. “You’re surprisingly good at this, Castle. How many stressed women have you blessed with those hands?”

“Hmm, a gentleman doesn’t massage and tell.” His hands traveled upward and began giving my neck and shoulders the same treatment. “What’s the plan of attack here, hm? ‘Cuz you can’t keep on goin’ the way you are.”

“Hmm, are you saying that outta concern or out of selfishness because I see you a whole lot less when I’m booked solid?”

“If I said a bit o’ both? You know I never wanna see you cryin’…”

I smiled to myself. He was ridiculously sweet when he wanted to be, and I always melted at those moments. “It’s always busy this time of year, Frank. I just hold tight and power through it; it’ll be over soon.”

“Define soon.”

“Well,” I started when to no one’s surprise my cell started to ring, “from Thanksgiving to Christmas it’s usually pretty calm. It’s October now so,” I continued, halfway getting out of the tub to grab my phone, “give it about a month and some change and I’m all yours.”

“All mine, hm?”

“Yes, all yours.” I reclined against his chest and answered my phone. “Hello? Mr. Carrera, how are you?” As I conducted my business Frank found a way to keep himself occupied, leaving kisses along my neck and shoulders, running a wet and soapy fingertip up and down my arm. He raised goosebumps on every part of me he touched. “No no, I don’t think that should be a problem. There’s still plenty of time to make adjustments.” I clasped his hand in mine and brought it to my lips, silently placing kisses on each bruised knuckle. His other hand grazed my thigh under the sudsy surface of the hot water and his mouth moved to my ear.

“Relax,” he mumbled loud enough for only me to hear in that gruff tone of his. The hairs raised on the back of my neck. “Keep talkin’, Y/N. It’s business as usual.”

I cleared my throat and calmed my breathing. “And you wanna go from a round 3-tier to rectangular?” His hand slipped between my legs and rested on my center, not threatening to go any further.

He huffed a breathy laugh in my ear. “I can feel your heart beatin’ through your chest.”

“And the venue is still the same, Mr. Carrera?”

“Mr. Carrera,” he repeated.”He a nice guy?”

I squeezed his hand trying to signal him to shut up but he only laughed again in my ear. I drew his hand to my mouth and gently bit it. “Decorative? Umm, I think I can do some ghosts, pumpkins, maybe a vampire. It’s a smaller space so they won’t be too, uhh… too detailed.” I was caught off guard the moment a calloused thumb began pressing the hot button between my legs. I tried to let go of his hand but his grip tightened, preventing me from doing so. “Mr. Carrera, you mind if I call you right back?”

“No,” Frank commanded in my ear.

“Actually,” I corrected myself, my thighs squeezing around his hand, “nevermind, I’m good. So d-did you want the cake pops to be red velvet like the cake?”

“Very good,” he whispered in my ear, gently nipping at my neck as he slid a finger inside of me. “Now you’ll think about this when you work. No more stress for Y/N, hm?” I nodded and rested my cell between my ear and shoulder, giving myself a free hand to shove Frank deeper between my legs. He chuckled. “Cheater.”

“So I’m gonna run this by my team and when I’m in the office tomorrow I’ll call you with a new price, make sure we have all the details together for your order straight. Is that alright?” Yes, I was rushing to get him off the phone so I could tend to more important things, like the man in the tub with me that was going to inevitably be the death of me. “Okay, thanks!”

“Aw, fun’s over?”

I tossed the phone on our pile of clothing and turned in his lap. “Oh, the fun’s just about to begin, Mr. Castle.”

A/N: Two days later Frank left a gift for you at the bake shop while you were out delivering a cake. You came back and found your orchid planted in a mug with a paw print pattern with a sticky note on it reading “Sorry. From: Max”.

[cosmosogler]

late getting started again. i was faffing about with the images and some video posts that i put in my queue so as not to dominate your dashboards with five posts in a row. those will post in about two days in place of my usual memes.

today ping decided to start yowling nonstop about an hour before my alarm was set to go off. i was so angry that i stayed in bed for an extra 45 minutes, throwing off my whole day plan.

after picking up ping and throwing him out of my room i put my face down into my blanket i had folded up, since i did not pack a pillow and the spare one is... now that i think about it, not actually my pillow, and also it made my face super itchy. i will put it back on the couch where it belongs after i write this post.

it was ungodly hot for some reason. apparently it was like that for my classmates too, i found out later. i took a shower and put on my nice blouse and long skirt. i realized i had forgotten to pack nice shoes so i just wore my running shoes. the skirt was long enough that it wasn’t immediately obvious. also walking around in flats all day would have gotten really old really fast.

the physics student lounge has been relocated to a tiny office in the biology building. so it took me a few minutes to find everyone. it was crowded and hot even with the window open and the nice breeze. everyone seemed pretty happy to see me though. at least, i was happy to see them. i hung out in there all afternoon chatting and reading some articles about internet economics on the side. i also found an interesting series of posts under the title “hipsters on food stamps” that went into why we are encouraged to hate people on welfare and what it means to project onto someone else. 

my pain and discomfort didn’t get any better today, but it didn’t get particularly worse. it feels like i got an air bubble in my side right under my ribs. 

then we all went to the graduation ceremony and dinner that the department was holding for us. i quickly realized that the ceremony was not for the seniors though. it was to hand out scholarships like free candy to the underclassmen and initiate them into phi sigma phi. i did not graduate with honors. 

the dinner was acceptable. the potatoes were really good. the chocolate cake i first described as “decadent” ended up being kinda weird. i split a slice with jay. he wanted the half with all the frosting so i teased him, but it ended up working out in my favor because that extra sugar would have been too much for me.

it was good to hang out with my friends. my classmates were talking about a take-home test they had as half of a final and that they weren’t supposed to work on it together. so cody said “so when are we not working on it together, and where?” and i burst out laughing. it was legit the funniest thing someone has said around me in person in like four months.

i didn’t eat too much. at least, i felt super nauseous, but not bloated. i made it home before getting too sick to be comfortable around other human beings. so then i watched youtube videos all night like a hack.

i also talked to oz for a while when i was on campus and my friends were in class. i hope he is ok.

about the parenting thing. raising children has been on my mind a little bit lately, i’m not sure why. i don’t feel that i could adequately care for a young person as my sense of normal parenting is extremely skewed toward “be an asshole.” i keep running into situations and trains of thought where i come to a conclusion and then decide to file it away for later in case i end up talking to a child about a related topic. this hypothetical child usually, in my mind, comes from my brother or sister. i don’t think my sister wants kids, but i don’t know if my brother has thought about it/made a decision about it. i would say he is pretty young to be thinking about it, but i’ve known since i was like four that i never wanted kids, so it’s possible.

i don’t know why i keep putting this information away with the intent of bringing it up with someone else’s kid. i guess... i want to be a part of my siblings’ lives, and part of taking care of them would involve helping their kids be more thoughtful and well-rounded i guess. i want to be a cool uncle, like my uncle mike. he doesn’t dump advice on me, but he’s always got something to say if i ask or if something important comes up. i would hope to see my niece/nephews a little more often than i see my uncle though. i guess i used to see him at least once a week when i was in grade school so it could happen.

but if i took care of my own kid, i would adopt a million times before i ever had my own biological children. i got too many nasty depression genes to want to force that potential on someone else. and also i have no interest in the processes involved in manufacturing small humans. i keep thinking about parenting strategies i would use and how it would hopefully go better than how my parents treat me, almost against my will. the thoughts come more or less unprompted. mostly in the shower, but, you know. i mean, since i don’t want to make a new kid, taking care of one that already exists is a good idea, right? and the foster system has so many serious issues... 

i can’t get a handle on the logistics though. how would i help with schoolwork? emotions and self esteem? how other people treat the kid? the fine balance between freedom and hard rules? how would i balance that with my own job? i couldn’t do it by myself. would i have a spouse? how would our schedules line up to allow us to spend the most time with the kid between the two of us?

adopting a kid isn’t the same as adopting a dog. i could take care of a dog or cat or birds or reptiles. you don’t have to worry about how your dog is going to get through college or find a job or decide on a career trajectory or how to deal with bullies. you just gotta love the dog and care for its biological needs. kids are much more complicated.

i don’t know why i am thinking about that now. i am not in a good life position to put those thoughts into any sort of action. i like to plan ahead, but that turns into micromanaging really fast and really easy if i’m not super careful. i can’t manage and “fix” my friends the way i would a machine, and i shouldn’t. i wouldn’t want to subject a kid to that full-time either. 

anyway, that’s what’s on my mind. it’s 12:30 now so if i go to bed soon i will be on a semi-good schedule again. what i want to do tomorrow is go to the financial aid office and work out my tuition refund since i wasn’t even able to start this semester. i hope i did not put it off too long. it is easier to go to the office and waste their time in person than it is to make a phone call. i guess because with phone calls there are bad connections and you get put on hold and it’s stressful. in person i can sit there in front of them until they do something about me.

next week i want to start working on a bunch of short-term goals and maybe one or two long-term goals with my therapist. i need to start doing things again. i will also bake the rest of the cake batter because the other can of frosting expires at the end of this month. and i won’t put too much water in the mix this time. maybe i can trick asher’s dad into taking some of those too. i will also start the group therapy program, though i’m still not sure about what exactly that entails. i know they do workshops for specific topics depending on, i guess, the week? and there are activities, some of which seemed to be outside the hospital grounds. i am right at the edge of the age cutoff so i wonder how well i will get along with younger people. and what the quality of the therapy will be, how guided it’s going to be, whether or not we’ll have someone who launches off topic frequently. no-fun power hours are going to feel like a waste of time to me. 

i know that feeling like i need to urgently get my crap together is not actually helpful to the therapy process. it takes time but i am very interested in not having stupid random abdominal pain any more if it’s really caused by anxiety. i will try to convert my impatience into enthusiasm for throwing myself into the activities. taking them seriously will help them help me more. getting frustrated will not help me.

ok it’s 12:40 now, my usual quitting time i guess. i still have to drink another bottle of water to make sure i am not dehydrated in the morning... i’m gonna have to get up during the night as usual i guess.

[not-another-imagine-blog]

Is There a Goalie In the House? (Alex Galchenyuk)

Anonymous said:

First your writing is amazing. Second, Could you please do an Alex Galchenyuk imagine where he is dating a female hockey goalie and she surprises him at one of his games by being announced with the team during line up or something? Maybe some fluff? Thank you!

Word count: 2398

Author’s note: I don’t often enjoy my writing, in terms of me reading it again after I’ve written it, but I really enjoyed this one. This goes out to all my ladies out there. You can do anything, so long as you think you can.

You were a little self-conscious about dating Alex. You loved him, of course, but it was just weird to you to be dating a hockey player when you, yourself, are also a hockey player. You worry that people think you’re dating him to get a spot on the team, or other such fears. Even though you know they’re baseless fears, you can’t help but to worry at least a little bit.

Alex, however, thinks it’s totally hot that you’re a hockey player. He thinks it’s even hotter that you’re a goalie. Goalies are the ones who take all of the hits and carry their teams on their backs. Alex loves how tough you are on the ice, how you never flinch, no matter how many pucks you face on a given night. He always jokes how you could beat Carey in a shootout easily. Although you’d never tell Alex, you’d love to play on the same team as him, one day. Even though you know that it’s obviously never going to happen, you can’t help but to dream.

That is, until you get the call.

You’ve just gotten dressed in your street clothes after a really productive practice. The team worked really hard today and you all feel ready for the game tomorrow. As you gather your things into your bag, you notice your phone start to go off. Even though it’s not saved in your phone, it’s a number from the Montreal area, so you answer it. You always worry that if you don’t answer the phone, it’s going to be from a trainer or a hospital telling you that Alex is hurt.

“Hello?” You answer, waving goodbye to your teammates as you head out of the locker rooms.

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N)?” A deep voice asks. Your blood runs cold, assuming the worst.

“This is she. May I ask who’s calling?”

“(Y/N), this is Coach Julien. Let me just start off by saying that Alex is perfectly fine.” You breathe a sigh of relief at his statement, letting out a shaky laugh.

“You know hockey girlfriends too well, Coach. What’s the reason for this call?” You ask politely.

“Well, Montoya’s sick and he’s not going to be able to play tonight. Our emergency goalie’s wife just had a kid, so he’s on leave, and we can’t get anyone from St. John or Brampton up here fast enough. Would you be able to fill in as backup goalie tonight?” Coach Julien asks hopefully. Your eyes widen as you silently squeal.

“Alex didn’t put you up to this, did he? He’s not forcing you to call me, right?”

“(Y/N), Alex doesn’t even know I’m calling you. Look, I’ve seen your highlights. You’re one hell of a goalie, kid. This is a unique situation, and I’d actually probably call you up over one of the AHL or ECHL guys anyways. I’m desperate, (Y/N). Please be my backup goalie tonight?” He asks.

“I-I’d be honored, Coach. What time do I need to be there?” You ask.

“Same time as the rest of the team.” He says, knowing you already know what time the regular guys have to be there. “We’ll get a jersey made for you. Do you have all the equipment?” You answer in the affirmative, almost hearing Julien’s excitement through the phone. “Great. Thank you so much, (Y/N). You’re saving the whole team’s ass tonight.”

“Of course, Coach. See you tonight.” You hang up the phone and immediately sprint back into the locker room. Your teammates look up, confused by your excitement.

“I’M PLAYING BACKUP FOR THE HABS TONIGHT!” You screech. Your teammates all freak out, in complete disbelief. Honestly, you’re still not quite sure if this is all real. You suddenly remember that it would probably be a good idea to call your boyfriend and, now, teammate.

“What’s up?” Alex answers immediately.

“Montoya’s sick tonight.” You tell him.

“Yeah, I know. Coach said he’d make it work, since our emergency goalie’s wife just had a kid.”

“Guess who’s your new teammate for tonight?” You say. Alex is quiet for a moment.

“You better not be messing with me, (Y/N).”

“Go ask Julien if you don’t believe me. AHL and ECHL couldn’t send any guys up in time, so he asked me to play backup.”

“Shut the fuck up!” He says excitedly. “Are you serious right now? You’re gonna be a Hab tonight?” You can’t stop grinning at his reaction.

“I am!”

“I am so excited for this, you have no idea. If there’s anyone who deserves this, it’s you.” You’re about to respond when you hear voices shouting through the line. “I gotta go, those are the guys. I’m guessing they just found out who our backup for tonight is.”

“Love you, Chucky.”

“I love you too. See you on the ice tonight.” You grin as you hang up the phone, all of your dreams coming true at once.

The news broke about a half an hour after your call with Coach Julien. Suddenly, your phone was blowing up with messages from your family and friends. Sports reporters had managed to find your number and had been calling you incessantly about how you felt being a part of such a historic moment. As you sit inside the trainer’s room, getting suited up for the game, you suddenly realize just how big of a deal this is.

You’re not nervous, so to speak. You’ve played in big games before, and you don’t really get nervous about games anymore. You’re more excited than anything. To be here, as the first woman since Manon Rheaume to even step foot on NHL ice, let alone play in a non-exhibition game, really is history. You just want to make everyone proud.

Alex opens the trainer’s door just as you finish strapping your last pad on.

“You ready?” He asks. “Coach is gonna give his pregame speech.” You stand up, making your way over to the door. “Are you nervous for tonight?” You think for a moment.

“I’m not nervous. I’m worried that I’m not going to live up to the legacy this is setting up to be. I want girls to see me out there tonight and realize that they can play in the NHL, too. I just want to make everyone proud.” You say honestly.

“I’m proud of you no matter what. You’re gonna kick ass out there tonight.” Alex lightly shoves you as you snort.

“Oh yeah, I’m really gonna show that bench who’s boss.” Alex grins, letting you follow him to the main locker room.

All of your new teammates eagerly fist bump you as you walk past, taking your spot next to Carey Price. Carey smiles at you as he adjusts his pad.

“Well hey there, goalie.” You smile back at him as Julien starts his speech.

The speech is basically just like your own coach’s speech. Go out there and win, show some heart, play with honor, things like that.

“And finally, you’ve all met your new teammate for tonight. Don’t let me catch any of you going easy on her tonight, okay? Lord knows she can probably kick half of your guys’ asses.” You laugh half-heartedly as the team stands, heading out to the tunnel. You’re in front of Carey at the very back of the line, the customary spot in line for goalies. As the line progresses and more of the guys skate onto the ice, you find yourself almost shaking with anticipation. Finally, it’s your turn.

You can barely hear as the announcer calls your name, only moving when Carey lightly pushes you onto the ice. You step on and stare in awe. The crowd is all on their feet, cheering wildly. You smile and wave slightly as you skate towards the net, starting warm-ups.

‘It’s just a game, and you’re just a player, just like the rest of these guys,’ you remind yourself as you watch Carey take his place in net. The guys fire pucks at Carey for a while and you watch, memorizing the differences in how guys shoot versus the girls that you face.

“(Y/L/N), get in net!” Carey trades off with you as you face a few shots, getting comfortable in the unlikely event you’ll actually have to play tonight. Finally, it’s time for the anthems as you skate to the bench, taking your spot. You’re filled with pride as the anthems are sung, still not quite sure how you ended up here. Nevertheless, you’re enjoying every second of it.

The Habs are losing, and it’s not pretty. After Carey lets in his 6th goal of the night, and third goal in two minutes, Coach turns to you.

“(Y/L/N), next stoppage in play I’m pulling Pricey. You’re in.” You look at him, shocked.

“Coach, are you sure?” Coach nods.

“We’re dying out there, kid. I don’t care if you’re a boy, girl, dog, cat or alien. You’re my backup goalie, and you’re playing.” You nod, fastening your mask to your face. The next stoppage in play comes faster than you’d like it to. Coach yells for Pricey to get off the ice as you and he switch places. Carey’s obviously upset at being pulled, but he still fist bumps you as you pass, taking your spot in net. The crowd is in an absolute uproar at the sight of you in net. You tune them out and decide to do what you do best: Defend. You only have a few seconds to stretch and get a feel for the net before play starts again.

You’ve stopped a few easy shots and Alex even managed to score a goal, bringing the game to 6-5. There’s still half a period left to be played when, suddenly, there’s a line change gone wrong and Patrick Kane is skating towards you on a breakaway. You can only freak out momentarily at the fact that you’re facing Patrick Kane before you see him start to lift his stick to shoot. Suddenly you stop, having seen this exact move a few nights ago. Kaner’s going to fake you out, dangle and then shoot at the empty net. You stop and stay facing Kaner as he shoots. You stop the puck, which shocks him, and pass it to Weber, who passes it out of the zone.

With a minute and a half remaining, Coach pulls you to gain the extra attacker. You skate as fast as you can to the bench and sit down, your teammates all patting you on the back. You all cheer excitedly as Pacioretty ties it up with ten seconds left. You expect Coach to put Pricey back in the net for OT, but you’re shocked yet again when he gives you the nod. You skate back to the net for 3-on-3 OT, the one thing you haven’t done before.

You’ve faced a few hard shots when Kane passes to Panarin, getting past Weber. Panarin shoots as you stick your glove out. You’ve always prided yourself on your hand-eye coordination and you see Coach let out a cheer as you effortlessly catch what is almost always a sure goal from Panarin and fall on it, stopping play. You glance at the bench and see Alex grinning at you. You can’t help but smile back as you take a sip of water.

Finally, it’s the shootout, something you never expected to make it to in the NHL. You stop a shot from Anisimov and allow yourself to cheer when Alex scores on Crow. When Panarin, however, scores on you, you groan, hitting the puck out of your net and shaking your head, something your coach taught you to do to shake off whatever just happened. Max Pacioretty scores, but you know it’s up to you to stop Patrick Kane. If you stop this, the game is over, and you’re the first female goalie in history to win an NHL game. No pressure, right? You bend down and watch intently as Kane skates towards you, trying to throw you off. He dekes you, making you think he’s going to go top shelf, before shooting at your five-hole. You quickly shut it and throw yourself on top of the puck, grinning as everyone starts cheering.

Kane skates off as your teammates mob you. You fall onto the ice as they pile on you, cheering you on. You can’t believe you just did this; you actually beat the Chicago Blackhawks in a shootout! You’re not quite sure this is real life as you all skate to the neutral zone, raising your sticks in homage to the fans. You’re about to head to the locker rooms when a trainer tells you that you got first star. You’re honored, to say the least, as they hand you two pucks in exchange for your mask and gloves. You skate back onto the ice, waving, as you search for the perfect people to give pucks to. Finally, you find one. There’s a little girl in a Galchenyuk jersey holding a sign that says ‘I’m a goalie, too!’ You point at her and motion for a trainer, signing the puck before tossing it to her. She catches it excitedly as you wave, throwing the other puck to a little boy before heading to the locker room.

Your teammates all congratulate you once again before you head back to the trainer’s room, ready to get out of your jersey. Alex is already in there as you shut the door and he kisses you.

“I-” He stops to kiss you again. “Am so goddamn proud of you!” He yells. “You fucking stopped Kane and Panarin on what should have been sure goals.” You shrug.

“Panarin still got by me in the shootout.” Alex scoffs.

“We still won in the shootout.” He kisses you again as you laugh.

“I bet this is something that most teams never see; their teammates kissing.” You joke. Someone knocks on the door, startling you.

“(Y/L/N), media wants to talk to you when you’re ready!” They call. You yell back that you’ll be out in a minute as you take your pads off.

“Do I have to do media?” You ask, just wanting to go home. Alex nods, smirking.

“The plight of being an NHL superstar.” He says. You laugh.

“I can get used to that title.”

[whistledylan-blog]

The Little Things

5 times Derek notices things about Stiles he has never noticed before.

1. The tiny specs of colour in their eyes.  

For a moment, Derek was floating. He was weightless, mind adrift. And then suddenly, it was like he was dropped into a pool of cold water and he was being thrown into consciousness.

His eyes snapped open, breath leaving his lungs. He barely caught the fist swinging towards his face, the small, cold knuckles swarmed in his own collaused palm with a painful slap of skin against skin. He looked above him, eyes leaving the two hands, and found Stiles staring down at him. It was just as much of a shock waking up as it was seeing cold, stomach dropping fear glistening in Stiles' eyes. His face was illuminated green, shadowed from the prominent cheekbones and ridiculously long eyelashes. The lights around them were flickering on and off, making Derek's sense of his surroundings even more off.

He looked around, dazed and confused because what the actual fuck? He couldn't figure out what was going on. What happened and why was Stiles staring at him like he's dropped from the fucking sky?

Suddenly, it all came rushing back like a tidal wave.

"Where is she?" He shakily asked after he glanced out of the elevator he was laying in, looking at the dimmed and abandoned hospital ward.

"Jennifer?" Stiles croaked above him, voice raspy like he'd been crying. His eyes didn't look red, but Derek did find himself unable to take his eyes off them - doe and big. "Gone— with Scott's mum."

Derek felt his stomach twist uneasily, guilt swarming his gut. "She took her?"

"Yeah," Stiles nodded. "And if that's not enough of a kick to the balls, Scott left with Deucalion. Okay? So, we gotta get you out of here—" he could hear the teenagers breathing picking up, noting the anxious way he was sparing nervous glances down the end of the hall. His wrist was still in Derek's hand, shaking. "The police are coming right now, and we gotta get you the hell out-ta here—"

"Woah," Derek cut him off, sitting up and ignoring the scream from his muscles.  He felt so impossibly drained. "What about Cora?"

"She's fine," Stiles replied, quick and high. "She's with Peter and Isaac. Look, we gotta go, okay? Can you stand? Did she break anything or—"

"I'm fine," Derek answered shortly. He wasn't fine, but he wasn't broken or physically injured. Maybe mind-fucked and internally scarred by the fact that he was sleeping with a goddamn Darach who while she wasn't in his bed, was actually out killing people for sacrifices. He was more worried about Cora at the moment, but Jennifer was large play in his mind - especially now she has Stiles' dad and Scott's mum.

"Okay, good," Stiles nodded and he didn't waste another moment before he was grabbing Derek by the shoulders and pulling - non helpfully - Derek to his feet. He stumbled when he was vertical, blood rushing to his head like he'd been hanging upside down instead of laying on the floor. "Woah—" Stiles rushed to his close side, hands everywhere and eyes tracking him. "You okay, big guy?"

Not by a long shot, Derek wanted to say. "I'm fine," he gruffed instead. It was obvious Stiles didn't believe him, his brown eyes unconvinced and shining evident disbelief, but he didn't mention it. Instead, he nodded, breathing shakily. They were at eye level, eyes directly looking into one another and if it was under different circumstances, Derek would have taken the time to admire the fire behind the teens eyes, or the way lighter shades of brown sparkled along side the dark, glowing whiskey. But right now, the circumstances were shit, and they needed to get out.

"Let's go," Derek said, and neither of them wasted another moment before they turned and ran.

-

2. How someone looks when they think nobody can see them.

Everything was better now. Cora was cured and currently out of town. She'd left only two days after she was well enough to stand, calming telling Derek she couldn't stay because everything here reminded her of pain and misery. Derek couldn't disagree with her, or make her stay. But he also declined her offer to go with him, knowing he needed to stay with his pack and some Hale member had to stay here. But things were better. The sheriff, Melissa and Chris were rescued and safe. Scott, Allison and Stiles got their parents back. The sacrifices worked, or, at least that's what Derek was told.

He didn't believe they worked, didnt believe everything was alright. The sacrifices gave them the location of their parents, but it's physically and mentally scarred them for life. The darkness around their hearts, as Deaton explained, was perminant. It was a scar, ugly and unremovable. Derek had no idea what it felt like, but he imagined it was like a hole in your chest, a big black void of nothing, just gaping like a bloodless bullet wound. He assumed it felt like grief, consuming and a consistent ache or feeling.

Derek couldn't imagine what it actually felt like, pooling in his chest continuously.

The pack meeting came to a stuttering end about half an hour before the members began to leave. Lydia and Allison went first, claiming they needed shopping as Lydia was sure it was the only way to properly cheer Allison up. Derek could see the frustration in Allison's form, the aftermath of the sacrifice turning her paranoid, saying she can keep seeing the ghost of her dead aunt.

"Hey, Scott," Stiles said, catching the doe-eyed true alpha. They were standing in the middle of the loft, Scott having just began to make his way to the loft door. He turned around on Stiles' call and waited for him to continue. "Are you still free today? I was wondering if we could hang out, I need to tell you—"

"Sorry, buddy," Scott cut him off, and the drop in Stiles' hopeful expression told Derek the younger teen knew he was being ditched. "I was gonna hang out with Kira, do some history notes together," Scott looked at Kira over his shoulder, the small girl sending him a sweet wave when she noticed him looking. Scott, like a lovesick middle-schooler, waved back with doe eyes. He turned back to Stiles, talking in a low voice so no one could hear, stupidly forgetting he's surrounded by werewolves with enhanced hearing, "she's finally noticing me, Stiles. I know you wanted to hang out, and we will — I promise! But, I really like her, like, like her. I haven't felt like this about anyone since. . ." He trailed off and the small 'Allison' didn't go unheard.

Stiles shook his head, lips pulling up into a smile that was so painfully forced. "It's fine. Totally cool. You go, write notes and woo her with your puppy eyes. I can talk to you another time."

Scott grinned. "Thank you!" He clapped a hand on Stiles' shoulder. "You're the best, Stiles. I promise we'll hang out tomorrow, okay?"

Stiles nodded, muttering, "Okay. Sure."

But Scott was already turning away, going to Kira and it took all of Derek's willpower not to grab Scott by the collar and drag him to Stiles' feet and force him to apologise to his best friend that so obviously needs him.

The second Scott was out the door, it was like Stiles was physically punched. Derek watched his face morph into a mixture of pain, anxiety and hurt. He wrapped his arms around his middle, cuddling himself as if it would give him some source of comfort. Derek could tell his eyes were trained on the floor, despite standing behind him. The angle of his head was down and bowed, and Derek officially declared Scott the biggest oblivious idiot in the pack. How could he not see? How could he not see the obvious signs of his best friends suffering? Derek has watched Stiles turn up to meeting after meeting since the sacrifices, watching his skin get paler and tighter from exhaustion. The purple half moons under his eyes becoming horrifically prominant, standing out against the white of his complexion. His hair was hazardous, sprawled in every direction like it's been pulled with stress.

Stiles was suffering, and Derek could see him suffering in silence.

Derek didn't know if Stiles realised he was there, especially considering it was his loft, but Stiles seemed to be in his own head. He seemed unconscious that Derek was standing behind him, watching and observing the way he's curling in on himself like a wounded child. The way waves of misery and hurt are rolling off him and smacking Derek like a physically tsunami. Realisation dawned on him that Stiles wasn't okay, and that everything wasn't better now just because no one was in immediate danger.

Derek moved, the floor beneath his feet moaning and Stiles spun around so fast Derek was surprised he managed to stay standing. Stiles' eyes were wide, swimming with surprise and also a hint of embarrassment, which had Derek almost frowning because, why?

"Are you okay?"

Stiles nodded, and suddenly, it was like a masked was slipped on. His face became neutral, emotionless and all the pain shining through the exhausted whiskey eyes was covered like a shield. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Derek nodded back. He didn't have another chance to speak to Stiles, for the brunette teenager was grabbing his bag by the strap and darting out of the loft like a streak of light.

-

3. Real meanings behind spoken words.  

Derek didn't know how it had come to this. He didn't know what he did to deserve this, but through out his entire life, he's never been so terrified. Even when he watched his family burn, or spent years hiding away in New York, grieving with Laura, or when he came back to this god-forsaken town to find his older sister dead at the hands of his psychopathic uncle. He has never felt as truly scared as he is now.

He was standing in Deaton's veterinary. It was cold, the chill from outside seeping into the dark room. Scott was leaning against a metal table, hand on his recently healed stomach. There was a large blood patch on his t-shirt, the wet, sodden fabric ruined by the gaping hole in the middle. He looked close to tears, and that wasn't because he was stabbed and basically had death flash in front of his eyes. No, Derek knows he's close to tears because of the teenager laying on the table opposite him.

Stiles had been unconscious when Derek ran in from the rain. The teen then, however, had been laying on his side on the cold floor, Deaton standing above him with a needle in his hand like a mad scientist out of a horror movie.

At first, Derek had demanded answers. He wanted to know what the fuck was going on and how the hell Scott, the true alpha, had managed to get stabbed by his hyperactive human best friend. Except once Derek had lifted Stiles onto the table, his body disturbingly lax in his arms, Deaton had then explained that Stiles was not only Stiles, but actually possessed by a thousand year old Japanese spirit.

It had been quite a shock. Sure, Derek had his suspicions, but no one had confirmed it to him and to hear Deaton tell him, when Stiles was drugged to unconsciousness and Scott was recovering from a stab wound to the stomach, it made Derek want to throw up.

After ten minutes of eery silence, Derek asked the only question he was sure he could voice without vomiting. "What do we do?"

His voice broke the quiet like a sledgehammer on a sheet of glass; shattering it. Scott physically flinched when he did, and for the first time in a long time, Derek saw the vulnerability in the True Alpha.

"The wolf lichen should knock him out for a while, and when he comes around he should be in control of himself," Deaton answered.

Derek looked at him. "And what happens if Stiles isn't in control when he wakes up?"

"We'll deal with that if and when it happens. For now, we need to assume the wolf lichen will work and the fox will be effected."

"Is it going to hurt him?" Scott asked, his eyes still locked on Stiles' form. When no one answered, he looked up and directly at Deaton. "Is the wolf lichen going to hurt Stiles?"

"No," Deaton said. "It won't harm his human side, only the fox inside him."

"Then why is he still passed out?" Scott shouted, a growl itching into his tone.

Deaton seemed unfazed, as usual. "Because the wolf lichen will act as a sedative until the fox is weak enough for Stiles to take control again. He'll be fine, Scott." His last words sounded flimsy but it was the best they had.

"Okay, so assuming Stiles is in control, what should we do? The wolf lichen isn't permeant, and if the fox is as powerful as you said it was, then it isn't just going to sit back and let Stiles have his life back again," Derek said, and once the words left his mouth, he felt like he was going to be sick again.

He looked at Stiles, and instantly he regretted it. The teenager was still passed out, lax and limp on the table. His head was turned to the side, face in their direction. His skin was white, eyes bruised and purple. His lips were cracked, colourless like the rest of his complexion. His hair was stuck to his forehead in wet curls like seaweed washed up on a pale shore. It was scary, to see Stiles so still. In all the years Derek had known him, Stiles was a constant flurry of movement and colour but now, he was like a grey form of stationary misery.

"How can we help him?" Derek asked. "How do we stop whats inside him?"

Deaton shook his head. "I don't know enough," he said.

"Well learn something!" Derek snapped. "We need to help him."

"I know," Deaton said, and it almost sounded like a sigh.

"We need to get it out," Scott murmured. "We need to get that thing out of him."

Deaton nodded. "I'll see if I know any contacts who might be able to help. I recommend speaking to Chris, he might know more about this than me."

"I'll do it," Derek said, knowing Scott wasn't up for anything else tonight. "You should go home, Scott. Get some rest-"

Scott's head snapped up at the mention of his name. "W-What? No! I can't— you don't. . . I need to help—"

"Scott, you had a sword pushed through your stomach. You need to rest and heal—"

Scott pushed off the table. "I've healed! I—"

"Scott," Derek said, voice rumbling. If he was an alpha still, he knew he would have flashed his red eyes, but he didn't bother now. "Go home, we'll phone you if anything changes," he added, "I promise."

Scott looked like he was going to protest, but then he must have come to his senses and realised he needed to go home.

"Call Kira when you go," Deaton said. "Make sure she's okay."

Derek doesn't know who Kira is or what happened to her, and if he was honest with himself then he didn't want to know. The only thought that connected in his mind was if Stiles had hurt her? If the thing inside his head had hurt someone?

Derek cut out of his thoughts when Scott began to head towards the door, looking over his shoulder ever three seconds, eyes on his best friend as if walking out the door without him is like he's saying good bye. The door shut behind him with a deafening silence.

"Take me to Eichen,"

Derek spun on his heel as fast as light, ears ringing with the croaking voice.

Stiles was awake, eyes open and shining through the whiskey orbs was such raw fear that Derek could literally taste it on his tongue. He hadn't even realised Stiles was awake, and now he listened, he could hear the racing beats of his heart.

"What?" Derek asked, brain not fully processing Stiles' words.

"Take me to Eichen House. I can't be around you guys—"

"No way in hell are you going there," Derek said adamantly.

"Derek—"

"Stiles, Derek is right. I don't think—"

"I have to. I heard what you said about the wolf lichen, and I know it isn't going to hold forever. You can't just let me roam the streets. I might— it might hurt someone. Please, I need to do this."

Derek sighed. His chest was aching. "Stiles, Eichen isn't safe,"

"It doesn't matter. If I'm in there, so is the damn thing possessing me. Everyone will be safe, and it will give you guys more time to figure something out."

"We're going to kill it, Stiles," Derek said, voice more solid than it had been all night. He was confident that Stiles was going to get out of this alive, and no way in hell was Derek going to let the brave, stupid, idiotic spaz go down this way after everything he's been through. "You're going to be okay."

"You can't," Stiles whispered. His voice cracked, croaking when he spoke.

"Stiles, we can and we will," Derek snarled.

"How?" Stiles asked, and then Derek noticed the glistening in his eyes and the salty tang to the air. "How do you destroy a monster without becoming one?"

The words hit Derek so hard he had to take a physical step back. He didn't know exactly what Stiles was implying, but the words were cold and sharp.

Monster.

Was Stiles implying that Derek was a monster? Or that Stiles himself is a monster? The questions flew back and forth like a boomerang, spinning inside his head.

"Stiles," Derek began, but prominently cut himself off. What the fuck was he meant to say to that?

"Please," Stiles begged, sounding so small and hurt it physically wounded Derek like a punch to the chest.

Derek sighed. He looked to Deaton, who met his eyes with a familiar gaze. Derek looked back to Stiles, who was staring at him with a hopeful and desperate look that could have made the newly made beta crumble, even in alpha form.

"Call your father," Derek said. "You need his consent first."

-

4 . Emotions they are trying to hide.

When Derek next saw Stiles, it was a week after the Nogitsune was diminished and two friends were buried in the ground. The remaining pack were damaged, the entire pack and its balance fractured, possibly beyond repair.

Scott was heart broken, internally destroyed from having his first love die in his arms. Derek could relate, horribly, and he knew that kind of pain didn't just go away with a few good nights sleep and a lot of hugs. It was scarring, deep and un-healable.

Lydia was just as distraught, though her's was less visible. She had been the one to plan the meeting at Derek's loft, insisting they needed to get back to some sort of normalcy. She'd turned up the following day, Kira at her side, saying the pack meeting was happening and everyone was going to be there.

At first, Derek didn't believe her or the idea that everyone would come. Grieving was hard, and for most people, it was actually easier to do alone. Or at least, that's what people believed when they were grieving. It was like dark cloud hanging over you, and your constant worry was getting  everyone caught in your own storm. Derek knew what it was like to hide away in grief, he'd done it twice before and he was sure as hell not going to criticise the pack for doing it themselves. The only member of the pack Derek had actively seen was Isaac, and that was only because he'd moved back in with him. He didn't comment, the first night Isaac turned up at the lofts door with a duffel bag and red eyes, he only opened the door wider and offered his bed, knowing the beta needed it.

Scott and Isaac arrived together, looking hunched and sad. They barely said a hello to everyone before dropping down on the sofa.

Stiles was the last to arrive, and when he did walk through the door, Derek could have cried. Stiles was the definition of mentally broken. His physical appearance was haunting, from his translucent skin and exhausted eyes to his sluggish movements and sharp cheekbones. He walked with hunched shoulders, like he was carrying the weight of the world on the producing bones. Lydia approached him as he crossed the loft and immediately pulled him into a hug. Derek noted the raise in heartbeat and how Stiles stiffened like a plank, muscles stiff. Lydia didn't remove herself, and eventually, Stiles sagged against her, shaking hands wrapping around her back and forehead dropping to her shoulder. Derek shoved down the swell of jealously and was instead thankful that Stiles was even there.

When Lydia detached herself, she grabbed Stiles by the hand and guided him to the sitting area. Stiles situated himself in the empty love seat, looking small as he curled in on himself against the mountain of pillows.

"What are we doing here?" Scott had asked, voice small and cracking.

"We need to heal, and we should do it together. Allison wouldn't want us like this, she'd want us to carry on with life. We need to find some normalcy, so we're going to watch a movie together and eat some food like we used to."

No one had argued when Lydia put a Disney film on the TV and curled up on the couch beside Scott. After that day, things did improve. The pack began to heal, slowly but surely. The meetings and Friday movie nights became routine again. Everyone was beginning to fall back into place, sealing the cracks that had formed and repairing the damage done. It wasn't perfect, and it was never going to be. They had lost a large, vital and irreplaceable member of their pack and lives. It was never going to be the same, but that didn't mean they couldn't be happy and heal.

Derek doesn't know what urged him to go over to the Stilinski house hold a few weeks later, but he's bloody glad he went. He was barely a few feet away from the grass below Stiles' bedroom window when he heard the familiar sound of a faint sob. The sound, despite being quiet and muffled, sent Derek's wolf into overdrive and he was leaping up onto the window ledge and climbing inside before he could really think about it.

He was startled to find the bedroom empty. The first thing that hit him was the scent of misery and guilt, so strong and suffocating as it clung to every inch and object in the room. Derek could barely stop himself from whining, unable to understand why Stiles had to suffer through this alone.

The next soft cry snapped him out of his thoughts. He was following the sound before the next cry followed, leading him to the bathroom where he found the door wide open and Stiles sitting under the sink.

The teen hiccups when he looks up, tears streaming down his cheeks like small rivers and eyes puffy and red, swollen with misery.  He's curled in on himself, knees up his chest and trembling arms wrapped around himself as if he could make himself unseen.

Derek felt his heart literally break.

"Stiles," he whispered, approaching slowly and cautiously. When he was close enough, he crouched down almost at eye level with the shaking male that was no more than a child. Now he was closer, he could see the sharp lines of his prominent cheekbones, the colourless lips disgusting with the sickly pale skin. Underneath the blood-shot eyes were bruises of obvious exhaustion.

Derek wasn't expecting Stiles to launch himself into Derek's chest, but he reacted quickly, taking in the sobbing teen and wrapping his arms protectively around him. Stiles cried into his chest, wailed and trembled. His pain was pouring out, coming so unexpectedly that Derek cursed himself for not seeing it sooner. Not addressing the pain he had suspected Stiles was in, should have acted on instinct and the duty of a friend, because it was obvious Stiles needed a shoulder to cry on.

"You're okay," Derek murmured, rubbing a hand up and down the shaking knobs of his spine. "You're gonna be okay, Stiles. You're not alone, it's not your fault. Breath with me, calm down. Everyone's okay, everyone's fine."

Stiles choked a sob against his chest, hands wrung in his shirt, gripping tight and desperate. He sounded so fragile, so hurt and broken that Derek could barely blink back the tears in his own eyes. He'd never felt this sad and distraught since the fire, and the time before that when Paige was dying in his arms. But even then, it didn't hurt like this. This was worse, deeper like a never healing knife wound. This hurt more because it's been going on for weeks, Stiles has been crumbling and suffering alone because Derek was too weak and pathetic to act on his feelings and help Stiles.

Derek doesn't know how long he was sitting on the Stilinski bathroom floor, cradling and supporting his pack mate. But when Stiles finally found the breath to sit back, he looked worse than before. His eyelashes were clumped together, jet black with tears. His cheeks were wet and tinted red. Eyes sore and raw. He looked open and vulnerable, ruined and battered like a old toy that has been abandoned after years of careless play.

With a gentle touch, Derek brushed the pad of his thumb under one of Stiles' eyes, wiping away the falling tear. Stiles was staring back at him, whiskey orbs bright in the florescent bathroom lights.

"What are you doing here?" Stiles whispered, voice cracking and raspy.

Derek flashed him a small smile, hoping it would transfer some sort of comfort to the aching teen. "I came to see if you were okay," he replied, tone as gentle as the hand rubbing Stiles' shoulder with small circles. "You're not okay, are you?"

Stiles continued to stare at him with unblinking eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, and Derek would bet his right arm he was going to lie 'I'm fine'. But then his mouth snapped closed, lip trembling and eyes filling with a fresh pool of tears. He shook his head, small and shakily.

Derek didn't hesitate to pull Stiles back into his chest, arms winding around his back for security. Stiles curled into his chest without protest, small sobs starting again.

"It's okay. It's okay not to be okay," Derek whispered into the soft, messy mop of brown hair. "You'll heal, it'll get better and one day you can say you're fine and won't have to lie about it. But it's okay that today is not that day."

They moved into the bedroom sometime later, laying down on the bed. Derek wasn't planning on staying, but when Stiles grasped his wrist and looked at him with those big, hopeful and scared eyes, he didn't hesitate to kick off his shoes and climb under the covers next to him.

Stiles was the same as he had been at the pack meetings. He hadn't changed, good nor bad. He was still keep his distance from the pack. Still looking pale and sick, tired and wary, jumping at every sudden and small sound. It pained Derek to see him so uncomfortable in his own skin.

Stiles was falling asleep next to him, breaths deep and soft, but Derek could see him resisting. In the dim light of the room, Stiles kept desperatly blinking his eyes open in the will to stay awake. Derek couldn't stand it any longer, looking at the exhausted face and sunken eyes in so much need for rest. He grabbed Stiles' hand, the skin cold against his own and small. Stiles' eyes met his, and Derek squeezed his hand gently.

"Go to sleep," he whispered into the silence. "I'll be here when you wake up."

The short reassurance seemed to calm Stiles somewhat. His tense body lost some of the stiffness and he relaxed slightly against the mattress, but not by much. He was still too wired to fall asleep, so Derek took charge.

He moved closer, pulling Stiles into him gently. He kept their one hands connected, pressed between their chests and he wound the other one around Stiles' neck to hold his head, running his fingers gently through the soft strands of hair at the back of his head. The small, comforting gestures caused Stiles to drop like a hot rock into the abyss of sleep.

Derek followed soon after, rocking and comforted by the steady heartbeat and rhythmic breathing.

-

5. The melody of someone's voice.

"What was it?"

"There's a lot of myths," Derek began, looking up from the locker room floor to Stiles, who was standing a few feet away. "About how people can be turned into a werewolf. Usually, it's a bite, and there's one about rain water."

"Rain water out of the puddle of a werewolf's print," Stiles said, nodding.

"There's another one," Derek continued. "A way that someone can be turned by a scratch, if the claws go deep enough. I dreamed. . .I dreamed about Kate. She wasn't dead, she was alive, she was a were but I don't know which one. She didn't die when Peter killed her, she turned, and she was in my loft."

"Derek," Stiles sat down on the bench opposite him, looking at him with concern, "if this is all just a dream, then why do you look so worried?"

Derek shook his head in small movements. "Because I don't remember waking up. So. . .so tell me, how do you know? How do you know if you're still dreaming?"

"Fingers. In dreams you have extra fingers," Stiles replied. Derek didn't hesitate a moment before he snatched Stiles by the wrist and brought his hand up.

6 fingers.

Suddenly, the world folded like an envelope. Stiles was gone, as was the locker room. He was standing in his loft, smoke and darkness around him. His chest burned, fire and pain burning through him. He dropped to his knees, hands hovering over the sudden gun shot wound at the bottom of his chest.

He looked down at the blood stain. "It's real," he whispered to himself.

Looking up, he saw a figure approach and appear in the white fog around him.

"You're real,"

"That's right, Derek," Kate replied as she stalked forward, hips swaying and gun loose at her side in her fingers. "And if seeing me is a surprise, watch this,"

Suddenly, like a werewolf would, her face began to morph and shift. Only, she wasn't shifting into a wolf. Her eyes glowed green, teeth canines growing and skin turning blue with black smudges. She let out a roar, deep and loud.

"Derek,"

The voice that spoke didn't belong. It wasn't here, it was distance, like an echo. Derek barely heard it over the deafening roar.

"Derek, wake up,"

He couldn't pin point who it was or where they were. Black spots were dancing in his vision. His head felt cloudy, ears muffled. Kate was watching him, Kate was alive and he couldn't breath.

"Derek! Wake up!" The voice was more urgent, pleading.

His lungs stopped working. He was suffocating. He couldn't—

"Wake up!"

Derek snapped into consciousness with a breathless gasp. The first thing he saw was the ceiling, and then he was jackknifing into a sitting position. His skin was crawling, tingling and too tight. His hand went to his chest where the gaping hole was no longer there, where his t-shirt was no longer sticky with blood. His lungs were clenched, muscles tort and refusing to expand. His breath was short, neck cold with sweat.

"Derek?"

The small, unsure voice sent him into a spiral of confusion. His head snapped in the direction to see Stiles sitting up next to him, eyes wide and skin white pale in the moon light that glowed in from his bedroom window.

Derek tried to calm his breathing, to find some kind of steady pattern or rhythm, but he couldn't.

A hand grabbed his own, another one coming to rest on his shoulder.

"Derek," the voice was steadier this time, more stern and commanding. Stiles' eyes met his, the whiskey colour gleaming with a determination that had been missing for so long. "Breath with me. Hold you're breath."

It wasn't helping. This had never happened, in all of Derek's traumatic years, he'd never had a panic attack and he hated this. He couldn't breath and the lack of oxygen filling his lungs only made him panic more. It was a vicious circle, no way out, trapped and—

A pair of lips covered his. He was so startled and surprised he didn't even register the intake of breath he stopped. He sighed into the kiss, melting against the lips against his. Something warm and pleasant fluttered in his chest, replacing the recent panic and tight feeling. It was over as soon as it started and Stiles was pulling away.

Silence settled. Derek was speechless, awed and embarrassed. He'd panicked like that in front of Stiles, something that made him open and vulnerable - something he'd tried so hard to mask. His eyes were conflicted between looking at Stiles' lips or his eyes, both open and unreadable. Stiles was staring right back at him, his own breathing deep as if the kiss had surprised him as much as it had Derek.

The wolf couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed Stiles by the cheek and collided their lips together again. This one was better, longer, deeper. It was passionate, sweet and sour, like burnt sugar. It was captivating, sending tingles down Derek's spine. Stiles' lips moved with his, as if they had done this a million times. What surprised him most was Stiles was kissing back with as much if not more enthusiasm.

The next time they pulled away was because they were breathless. Derek took in Stiles' appearance with one look. He was still pale and he looked just as tired as he was hours ago before they fell asleep, but now his cheeks were tinted with a healthy red glow, eyes dilated and lips swollen and pink.

"You like me?" Stiles whispered, breaking the silence that was only filled by their heavy breathing.

Derek smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Stiles smiled back, a small action that had been absent for too long and made Stiles look hypnotising-ly beautiful. "I like you too. I like you a lot."

"Good," Derek replied, pulling him in for another hungry and desperate kiss. "You're it for me, Stiles." He whispered against the teens lips. "You're everything."

They were healing, Derek decided. And now, they could heal together.

— fin.

[nerdystrawberries1489-blog]

Updates

Right now its 11:06 pm. I just woke up from a 3 hours nap and just did all the notes for tomorrow...well majority of them bc my coresident added another patient today..uggh! But happy i got all the notes done because tomorrow I have clinic in the morning and then I am oncall and I wanna round on all these patients before I go to clinic so when I come back I just have to worry about consults.  I am so excited I only have remaining of this week and up until next Friday of Floors and I am officially done with my first years of floors!!! I AM SO HAPPY! First one to finish 3 months of brutal floor and taking care of patient. I think I did a decent job handling and I think my census was a kick ass compare to everyone...at least thats what so call co residents have told me. Anyways march has been going well for most part, things have been good and I always have been having good luck on my side. Been slightly improving managing patient and handling stressful situation. I just want this month to end and next month to begin because guess what??!!! Hummus gets 2 weeks vacation finally after her last vacation being in September/October! I’m so excited...this would be a legit 2 weeks vacation. First week will be to DISNEY WORLD!!!! I AM SO EXCITED bc I am going all OUT! LIKE ALL OUT! LITERALLY! Spend 2 Grand on this vacation and I am gonna enjoy it because not sure when can I will enjoy it later. I feel like my life would be changing soon so might as well live the moment. So far everything is booked for this vacation including resort, tickets, tours, flight..etc you name it it is done!!! And today I also think I got my magic band in the mail...I am waiting to open it with Jaan when he gets home. The only thing I gotta do is start packing but I am holding off bc it’s a bit early...I still have 2 weeks.  My second week will be spend at Houston, Texas with family..which I am having second thoughts bc parents are just being annoying. I am praying things will blow over regarding marriage stuff they are worried about.  They don’t know when I am coming in april and part of me wants to back out LOL, but I know I need to go home and visit them bc they aren’t gonna come see me.  So I Will have to be a tough cookie and make the visit and hope things are okay. But yes very looking forward to my vacation, bc it is much needed. I just know it will suck coming back to NYC and getting back to work. I mean after 2 weeks of staying away from work drama and stress it’s tough. Not looking forward to it, but I am excited to be so close in finishing first year. I think it went fast so far and I heard these 3 years fly by quickly maybe because I am constantly running around like crazy headless chicken at times. Anyways just want it to move faster so I can live my life. Only thing that bugging me right now with work is getting all my numbers so I can be worried free...just don't wanna be struggling with numbers until the end like few of the second years right now. I know it’s not a competition but you know what I mean. I know I will graduate and get my number but I do want to be the very few ones to be finished ASAP.  I just want to have my life with flexibility as I go on next few years. 

Work has overall been okay...just been moving along each day and taking one day at time. April will be my month in OR which I will miss 2 weeks of OR cases which hummus is a bit sad about bc there goes my number which will be stolen. And following month will be spend driving to NUMC and Southside which hummus not looking forward to at all bc those assholes will start just giving me the responsibility to handle bc I will slowly transition to that hospital for second year...so I guess hummus should just learn everything and get use to it. Plus hopefully will get numbers there too. And then June will be back at Forest Hills where I will be off service doing ID which basically is an easy month as of right now and I am looking forward to ending my first year. I would’t mind taking few days off in June. Also have 3 more days to use from my personal day which I will use in May.  So yeah the first year is ending and I am excited and nervous at same time because I just hope it gets easier, but I have a feeling second year maybe little tough on me since its gonna be lot driving, but hopefully Allah will help me get through and by third year calls will be less too so life will be easy.  I just wanna be done!!! Anyways work drama is same old, drama here and there and you know stupid comments made all around.  Just can’t spend time writing that here bc it will go on and on. I just take things from one ear and let it go from the other ear. My goal each day to make it alive by 5 pm and leave. As long as I do my responsibility noone can be upset with me.  

I am waiting for Jaan to respond to me. I know Jaan is upset with me and things are little bit off since Monday. It is hummus fault bc she can’t handle her drinks. I am sorry Jaan I have no self aware and I have decided I will no longer drink. This made it official that my disney trip will be completely innocent too cause I be all alone and I don't want to do something stupid I regret when I have noone watching me. I think I just don't realize when drink hit me hard...I have very low tolerance and I think I have no self control. I know you are upset with me and I have disappointed you and I will handle myself better from now on. Please have fate in me and Ill be more responsible. I don't want this to ruin our relationship. And I know things have been up and down with my parents slowly getting involved in my marriage issues, but plz ignore them. They are just paranoid and worried which I understand but they can’t do much except pester me. I will do what hummus do best is run away if they don't listen to me. I will be honest been avoiding my mom and just text her. Just don't want to talk to her bc now days she doesn’t let go for some reason. I am so shock that we are coming towards completing our first year together...it so crazy how its gonna be a year. I think it went by so quick Jaan! I hope we have many more years to together and hopefully still be part of you life. I know our future is still up in the air and things may not be as what we want but I want you to know I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF YOU LIFE THUS this far and want to be part of it for next 70 years or more =P!  I LOVE YOU A LOT!! Yay you finally called and I was so happy listening to your voice and you make me smile and laugh and yes I know you are still upset with me but it still make me giggly inside when I talk to you! Sorry Jaan I haven't been around as usual. I know your tired of my schedule and my habits...but I am doing my best to nap and be rested so we can spend time together.  And I want to stay up tonight and help you study if you would let me and give you company. I LOVE YOU A LOT!! And I wish I was there monday night to help you but I am very sorry I was out of it. Please forgive me jaan! 

You are right...writing helps me feel better. I think I just haven’t written on tumblr bc I have this overwhelming feeling inside me bc I have no idea where to start. I feel so much happens in my life at times, I just don't wanna talk about it or deal with it or there so much I wanna say but I just can't write it out and I wanna write out all my thoughts. Like my mind is running crazy. Even right now I feel like there so much I wanna talk about but I can't fully bc my mind is crazy. I wanna go into details about things that have happen, but I feel like thoughts are just jumbled or my memory sucks and I don't remember things unless someone brings up. 

Anyways I do feel a lots better!!! Thank You Jaan!!! FOR EVERY THING YOU DO FOR ME! I LOVE YOU A LOT!!! MUAAAH!!!! Now gonna talk to you on the phone!

[heleftnowwhat]

I haven’t written in a while. I have had some repeat doggy clients so I wanted to wait for a new one to write about.

OMG, I just had a my tiniest guest today. Diego is a 10 week old, 3lb Beagle/Chihuahua mix. This was his first visit and he did very well. I assumed that he would play for an hour and sleep for an hour and I was correct. I took him out every 60-90 mins to go potty, which he did. All and all, a great first visit. I believe that he will be coming back, YAY!!

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 Like I said, I have had some repeat clients….here they are…

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Also, A friend and I went back to PA for a weekend in Sept. We joined my sister’s team, to walk and to raise money and awareness of Melanoma. It was fun and very successful. I am excited to say that my sister has had her 12th and final treatment and all looks good now. She is so strong. This is her story…..

My Melanoma Madness Family history: none Number of full skin checks I had through my life: zero Melanoma type: Acral Lentiginous (subungual) the most common in Asian, Hispanic and African American races. Of which I am not. This type of melanoma makes up less than 5% of all melanomas. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Timeline: Years and years ago I got a mole on the cuticle line of my left big toe. It was fine. Appeared normal. I thought it odd to get a mole on my toe, but I was not concerned. Fast forward to sometime in late 2017-ish I notice I have what I think is a blood blister. It’s near or on or around the “mole”. So I google blood blister on toe. Because who googles toe cancer??? I go several months until having it looked at.

May 2018: I’m in my 3 month diabetes check appointment with my Doc and at the end of appointment, I ask him to look at my toe. He glances at it and tells me it’s ugly and I should cover it for a week and if it doesn’t improve I should go see a podiatrist. Ok!!! Sounds easy. So I do what he tells me and it seems to start to dry up so I don’t go to the podiatrist.

September 17th 2018: Ok, I give!!! Made an appointment with the podiatrist because it seemed to get worse again. I go in, sit down and show him my “blood blister”. Instantly he tells me it is a wart. Oh! I ask if warts oozed and bled. He shook his head and told me no and that he wanted to biopsy it to see what kind of wart it was so he knew what type of antibiotic he may need to prescribe. OUCH. That kind of hurt. But ok! The results will be in in 7-10 days. Thanks doc. So, because I’m impatient, I go buy a wart freezing kit and try to freeze the little bitch off. HOLY CRAP. OUCH IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. And it obviously wasn’t even worth the pain. Tic tock…. tic tock September 28th (10 business days later): I call the office to ask about results. I am told there are none. Sometimes these things could take up to a month they say. Of course, I argued that and said that the doctor told me 7 to 10 business days. They shrug and say they hope it’ll be in next week. HOPE?????? Mind you, I struggle with anxiety and unknown things are huge a trigger for me. Ok. Sigh.

October 5th 2018: Ring ring. Hi, this is Stephanie Heart. Calling to see if results are in. Nope. What the hell????? Ok. This is science. Deep breaths. October 17th 2018: Cell phone rings. I’m in middle of something and can’t answer my phone. Voice mail says: “ hello this message is for Dr. B…, this is so-and-so from the pathology lab in Maryland and I need to speak with you directly about one of your patient’s biopsies” UMMMMM….. what the hell? Now I’m freaked out. So of course I call back and leave a message. No response. Text— no response. Call doctors office and leave urgent message with answering service. Call doctors office again first thing in morning and start pushing. Hard. Turns out the initial abnormal results were in a couple weeks ago and lab was doing further testing. WHICH NOONE INFORMED ME OF. The lab certainly broke some rules by accidentally calling me directly. They say they will have doctor call me. 15 min later he does. Tells me same story. Says he is trying to get in touch with pathology lab and will get the results for me and I can pick them up in office tomorrow. Ok. Fine. Instantly google cancer on toe, because why else would a lab be trying to reach the doc?

October 18th (my cancerversary, I guess) I arrive at the office and go to desk and say I’m here to see the doctor about my results. They tell me he gave us this for you and hand me a sealed envelope. Um. Alright. I leave office and am in lobby. Remember, I’m impatient. So I open envelope while alone in the lobby. And all I see is MALIGNANT MELANOMA and I am alone. Frozen. Oh. Also a note with a referral to a dermatologist. That bastard let me read that alone. Ok. Now it’s a search and destroy mission. I immediately call this dermatologist and fax over results while I am on the phone. While scheduling the appointment with the receptionist, she asked me to hold on and out of nowhere this doctor gets on the phone. He tells me that he would gladly see me, however, he would be telling me immediately to get to a surgeon at Fox Chase Cancer Center and gave me the name. He told me that this was a deep tumor and it would have to be removed. Holy shit. This is serious. Like WAY serious. My fingers instantly started dialing the number to the doctor he referred me to. They were amazing on the phone while I cried and they got me set up for an appointment with the chief of surgery in less than a week. Begin massive anxiety attacks. Google. Bing. Explorer. Knowledge is power.

October 25th, 2018 Appointment with surgeon. The guy who saved my life. Tells me that the depth on the report puts me at a stage 2. Which means they remove it and then do a sentinel lymph node biopsy to check the nearest lymph node to see if it spread. But only 20% chance it would have. And then he tells me that to remove it, they have to amputate the top half of my big toe. Wait. WHAT??? Alligator tears begin flowing. Sends me on my way to schedule surgery.

November 2, 2018 Surgery day. Maybe after today I won’t have cancer anymore. Ativan on board I head to the hospital with my army. Long day of waiting and tests. Blood work. They do the injection for sentinel lymph node biopsy. Waiting and scans. Then it’s time to head back. I don’t remember any of it. Wake up. Foot is wrapped and I have a nerve block. They said they were sure they got clean margins. So as long as lymph node comes back clean, I would be cancer free! Remember only 20% chance of the lymph node being malignant. They send me home same day with healing instructions and tell me results will be in in 7-10 days. I’ve heard this before. Anxiety is in high overdrive. My family and friends took amazing care of me. But in the midst of this I told the boyfriend to take a hike. Zero empathy and he couldnt understand my fuss. It was only a toe. Not even a whole toe. It wasn’t like it was a boob or a lung. I’m sorry…. you’re out of my circle now. Piss off.

1 week later: Still no results. Tic tock. All I can think of is just getting back to work and I did. I work from home so was able to do some work and elevate.

About 12 days post op: Guess who is in the 20%???? Of course I am. Worst news I could have gotten. I now have stage 3 melanoma. Stage 3. Are you kidding me? You have to be. Now what? Time to have a PET scan of my entire body to see if it has spread anywhere. This would place me at stage 4. Thank goodness, it had not spread. I remain stage 3, but now I have to face a year of immunotherapy treatment with CT scans, skin checks, MRIs, ultrasounds and a slew of other tests every 3 months or so.

November 28 First meeting with medical oncologist. He details the plan of action to do everything we can to make sure the beast stays away. Melanoma is really sneaky and can just show up anytime anywhere. Sigh. A lifetime of anxiety. There is no cure. We set up the treatment plan.

December 5,2018 Treatment day. Lab work first to see if my body can handle it. Meet with oncologist again. Then head to the infusion room. Walk in and there are a ton of cancer patients in their chairs hooked up to IVs. Not gonna lie. It was scary and I couldn’t believe I was there. They begin the infusion after mixing the medicine. They have to wait for doc approval for this as they bill my insurance company $115,000 a month for this drug. Yes, the comma is in the right place. Infusion begins. And ends just as fast. Only about 30 min. And they send me home. Almost instantly, my entire body is hot and so itchy. A normal side effect. Any type of “itis” is. I’ll take that over chemo though. The itch continued for 2 months. My first 2 treatments.

Wash rinse repeat. I just completed my 6th of 12 treatments. I’ve had some scans and skin checks in between. So far…. I am FREE of cancer. We call this NED. No evidence of disease. And we celebrate this.

A few things I have learned: Not all melanoma comes from the sun, but most does. Mine didn’t. I am now susceptible to any and all skin cancers as well as having an increased risk of developing other types. I must be diligent with protecting myself from the sun. When in doubt, get it checked. Schedule yearly dermatology appointments. ADVOCATE for yourself for fast treatment and diagnosis. You are never too busy to take care of your health. In times of crisis you really learn who your true circle of people are. Mine is huge and I am truly blessed.

I am so thankful for the care I have received and continue to receive from everyone at Fox Chase Cancer Center. They literally have saved my life.

I still struggle with anxiety and depression and some pain and swelling. But I’m managing it by staying informed and positive and laughing at things. That’s how I deal. Gotta laugh. My side effects haven’t been horrible from treatment. I hope that my story can help at least one person to get help if needed. Early detection is KEY to surviving melanoma.

I am a melanoma warrior. A survivor. And I plan on keeping it that way.

GET CHECKED PEOPLE!!!

Doggy Guest #30 Diego and more I haven't written in a while. I have had some repeat doggy clients so I wanted to wait for a new one to write about.

[wanderbitesbybobbie]

SO THIS IS SYDNEY: Expat Stories - Life, Work, and School Abroad

SYDNEY DIARIES:

So basically, I am writing this post at 12:12 AM AEST because first, I can’t sleep. Second, I want a clear documentation (in writing) of how messed up my sleeping pattern is because of my current job and school schedule. But I am thankful for my current job. I really am. I love how chill the cafe is. I don’t mind waking up really early for about 2 to 3 times a week, and finishing early as well.  But, I am in the process of adjusting because I got used to being alive and awake at 1 in the morning. But now, I have to be asleep at around 7 or 8 so I can wake up and function at 3 in the morning. That’s kind of a drastic change for me. So surprise, surprise! My sleeping pattern is all over the place. Hahaha. Anyway, all I can do is just imagine myself one day, sipping on a cold glass of champagne, maybe in a 5-star resort somewhere, reading my previous blogs and telling myself, “Awwww… those were the days when I was slaving my butt out trying to gain all those experience.”

Here goes my random stories that have accumulated throughout the past week. IT’S OCTOBER ALREADY IN A FEW HOURS!!!! WHERE HAVE I BEEN? WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING? WHERE HAVE ALL THE DAYS GONE? I DIDN’T SEE THEM COMING BY! IT HAS BEEN SUPER FAST!

22 September 2018 AN UBER DRIVER GAVE ME A FREE RIDE TO WORK!!!

Today, I woke up at 3 AM as usual after a seemingly 4-5 hours of sleep. Of course it wasn’t enough for a 10-hour shift. I kept yawning like a lion the whole day. But anyway, I woke up at 3, prepared for work, and headed out. I was running late for some reason or maybe I was too slow in the bathroom, pondering about life while I was brushing my teeth. It added up about 7 mins on my usual routine. I started walking down the road as my workplace is merely a 20-minute walking distance from where I live. My earphones were plugged in with Dua Lipa playing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, this white Ford sedan pulled over at my side of the road. I wasn’t paying attention, it’s super early in the morning so I kept walking. Then, I noticed the lady driver signalling me to come to her. I pulled my earphones off and walked to her passenger side. I thought she was lost so I was preparing to make my brains work for directions. So the conversation went this way:

Uber Driver: Hi! Are you on your way to the train station? (with her passenger window down)

Me: Yeah. (Because… maybe, she doesn’t know where the train station is so I was pointing to that direction.) 

UD: I’m going that way. Do you want a free lift?

Me: (Thinking… Hmmm… Maybe it won’t hurt if I get a free ride. Besides, I’m almost late.) Oh, that would be awesome, thank you. I’m actually going near the station, near KFC, a little bit further down by the junction. 

She nodded, and opened the passenger door. So I got in her car.

UD: I saw you cross the road. I slowed down when I saw you and I was trying to call you, but you wouldn’t look back. I was thinking if I was gonna take you in. Then you started walking fast, and I said, omigosh she’s too petite to be walking this dark, alone on the streets. Yup. I’m taking her in. 

Me: Hahaha I’m fine. I’m like this every other day. 

UD: What? Walking alone on the street? Where are you going this early? I’m Michelle by the way. I’m an Uber driver. I just had a very wonderful night on the road, so I want to share the good vibes before I go home. 

Me: Wow. That’s good. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Michelle. I’m Barbara. I’m on my way to work. 

UD: Oh, KFC opens that early?

Me: Hahaha No. I’m a pastry chef. I work at the cafe in front of KFC. We open at 6:30. So I have to start doing the breads and muffins at 4. 

We drove for about 5 minutes and we were almost there. 

UD (whose name is Michelle): Wow. That’s very admirable. You’re doing good for humanity. I can’t even wake up early to make myself an egg for breakfast and you’re doing breakfast for the entire Bondi. Yup! I made the right decision of giving you a lift. I feel like I helped humanity too. (We both laughed.)

As we were about to approach my workplace, I said my heartfelt thanks. 

Me: This is my stop. Thank you so much. God bless you. 

UD: You too. You are a blessing. Have a good day ahead.

Me: You as well. Have a good day ahead. Thanks again. 

So I ended up being 5 minutes early than the head chef, and the shop was still closed. But, that’s ok. I would have been about 10 minutes late if she didn’t give me a ride. The day started well and ended well.

26 September 2018 I WAS GIVEN SATURDAY OFF!!! OH YEAAHHH!!!

Today is one of those days when I just had an anxiety attack two nights ago and I am still recovering from that blank feeling, but I got to force myself to function for work. I literally had to compose myself and drag myself to be a normal human being. So I did my usual breakfast routine. I made the brioche dough, popped it in a box for proofing, did the scones, baked some muffins, made some Cinnamon and Nutella Rolls, made donuts, made sourdough, made heaps of carrot cakes (got myself a scorching burn in the process), prepared some date balls for rolling, and all of a sudden… the head chef said to me… “I just confirmed your Monday.” My face lit. Then he followed up with “You don’t have to work on Saturday.” Whooootttt! Wait what? “This Saturday or next Saturday?” So my brain got a little bit excited. Man, that’s 4 days rest starting Friday! Whoa! “This coming Saturday.” He replied. OMG! What a bliss!!! So, I just realized… Honey, that’s the rest of your Spring break, because you won’t feel any break when you start with your hotel training. Hahaha. Enjoy!

29 September 2018 MY MOST EMBARRASSING DAY IN SYDNEY! FREE EVERYTHING! HOLIDAY INN AND SOFITEL WANTS YOU!

I woke up and started the day with a massive headache. I kept sneezing. The weather is as fickle as it could be. One day, it’s sunny, next day, it’s rainy and the temperature would drop from 23 to 11 in a snap. Anyway, Thursday is a school day for me, but not your average “school day” like Finance Tuesdays. I get to run as Front of House/F&B for lunch service at The Apprentice Restaurant (which my school owns and it’s being run by students including the chefs). I was wearing my uniform and this day marked my most embarrassing experience I’ve ever had in Sydney. So my F&B uniform is a black skirt, white blouse, and a coat, just like how you would see any other hoteliers. I was wearing black stockings and black shorts underneath my skirt. The sun was out, but I stopped for a bit to wear my coat as it wasn’t as warm as I expected it to be. I honestly don’t know how it happened. I crossed two intersections already. To my surprise, I looked down. I saw my skirt up my thighs, and my shorts saying hello to the world. I was like WTF!!!! I pulled my skirt down and casually walked really fast. I was super embarrassed I didn’t want to look sideways or even look back to see if someone was looking. Hahahaha. I literally have no idea how long it has been like that. I was pretty sure I pulled my skirt down before I left the house. Anyway, I received a free box of white chocolate macadamia cookies at the train station. They were campaigning for something, and I didn’t read it. I just took the cookies. Shame on me! Hahahaha. I started being conscious wearing that skirt. I kept on looking down my thighs the whole time!

As I arrived at The Apprentice, my teacher noticed I’ve got a bit of a flu. So he instructed me to make myself a cup of tea with a squeeze of lemon. Cool! Instant breakfast! Free tea from school plus free cookies from the train station. Not bad for a Thursday! I was supposed to be serving 7 people but my table of 4 did not arrive for their reservation, and 1 person from my table of 3 couldn’t make it so I ended up serving two people only and apparently one of them was the person I was looking for to talk about my hotel work placement. God is good! The moment he saw me, he said, “Hi Barbara. How’s it going?” I smiled at him and said, “Hi Tony. Holiday Inn just called me. I’ll be having a chat with them tomorrow at the hotel for the roster.” “Oh great. But the reason I want to have a chat with you is because Sofitel wants you as well. See, you have options. So tell me whatever you have in mind with your schedule, OK? Because I can easily talk to Sofitel and tell them if you’re interested as well.” I gave my best smile, quickly nodded, and said thanks. Wow! What did I do to deserve this kind of opportunity? Again, THANK YOU LORD. And thanks for the free food ALWAYS.

30 September 2018 FRI-YEY!!!! SPRING BREAK!!!

It’s the start of our Spring Break for this semester. Friday is the start of my 4-day break… out of the many breaks (hopefully, in the future… when I’m not as broke anymore. Hahaha). It’s one fine day. I went to Holiday Inn and confirmed my schedule. I went for a uniform fitting and attended a mini “briefing”. I have decided to push with Sofitel as well, but I’ll finish Holiday Inn first. I don’t know if I’m going the right direction for my career, but yes. I want to try both. I mean, I love being a pastry chef… but I also love the hospitality industry in general. Just the thought of being in a hotel everyday gives me that really fancy feeling. It’s a positive feeling, so my receptors say it’s a good one. Hahaha. I spent the rest of my Friday with my cousin. We pigged out, rode the most expensive Ferris Wheel ride I’ve ever had in my whole life (but the view of the entire Harbour was worth it), talked about life, our dreams, our plans for 2019. I don’t know, but I am really excited for what lies ahead.

2017 and 2018 might not be the best, but I have a feeling that 2019 would be a breakthrough. I’m claiming it. It’s a positive feeling again, and it’s good, right? 🙂

OK. I gotta get some shut-eyes. I plan to walk by the beach if the sun is out and weather is warm the moment I wake up. We’ll see. I am updating this from time to time actually. It’s just that there are days when I would start to write, but I would end up malfunctioning (if you know what I mean). That’s another story to tell. I hope I get some time to update this again soon! Thanks for reading my non-sense train of thoughts. 🙂

SO THIS IS SYDNEY: Expat Stories – Life, Work, and School Abroad was originally published on WanderBitesByBobbie