#You can practically hear the windows error noise just

[atinyniki]

stole my heart, angel

group: stray kids !

pairing: roommate!seo changbin x f!reader

genre: fluff, angst if you squint, romance

warnings + additional info: reader is referred to as y/n, friends to lovers + enemies to lovers??? (it'll make sense later i promise), changbin is referred to as bin and binnie, some playful (mean-ish) nicknames, lots of illegal actions, reader and changbin get wasted.

authors note: i've had this storyline on my mind for a while and decided to finally execute it ! this is also not proofread. english is not my first language, so please excuse any grammatical or spelling errors. happy reading :)

wc: 3366

“FUCK”

you quickly clamped your hand over your mouth, forgetting that you needed to be quiet. you prayed that no one heard you. 

you stare at the now empty dresser, all the jewelry that was once on it, gone. you knew you should’ve suspected something when you saw that the window was already unlocked. 

slowly, you make your way to the table, careful not to make any noise. once you see the card, you know exactly what happened.

‘angel’

you walk out the same way you came, closing the window carefully, not wanting to wake the couple sleeping in the next room.

“hey angel!”

seo changbin. your best friend. your roommate. your silly crush that you still haven’t gotten over.

“hi bin.”

he had just gotten back from practice, and it was pretty late in the night. you knew that changbin was going to return later than usual, as he had texted you earlier. you thought it was the perfect time to steal the necklace you had been wanting so badly, but ‘angel’ had beat you to it.

“what’s wrong, grumpy pants?”, a playful smile plastered on his face. you wish you could’ve told him the truth, that your night had been ruined because of this idiot named ‘angel’, but you didn’t want to get the police called on you.

“it’s nothing, i’m just a little tired”

changbin walks over to the kitchen, in need of some water. he grabs you a glass too and sets it on the coffee table in front of you. 

“thanks bin”

“no problem, angel”

changbin had been calling you angel since the beginning of your friendship. you’ve always found it cute and endearing, until now. it’s started to remind you of ‘angel’, and every time you’ve had to see that card because you failed to beat them to stealing whatever it was you were targeting.

you didn’t want to tell him to stop though, you knew he wouldn’t anyways. you quickly chug your glass of water and make your way to your room. it was ridiculous of course, but right now you just wanted to sulk. you really wanted that necklace. you flop down onto the bed, praying that you could get a good night's sleep for once. 

“WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD”

you groan, but changbin persists. you feel your body being pushed around, and soon the covers are off you. rubbing your eyes slowly and up, you check the time. 8:28 am.

“ughhh it’s too early, let me sleep some more”

“i’ll get you those muffins from the cafe you like”

in an instant, your body shot up and darted for the bathroom to get ready for the day. you can hear changbin laughing behind you, but the only thing on your mind were those damn muffins.

strawberry muffins. chocolate muffins. banana muffins. so many great options, but you went for the same one every time.

“we’ll have two blueberry muffins please!”

changbin laughed at your excitement, but still didn’t know what all the hype was about. a muffin couldn’t be that amazing right? regardless, he decided to try it out to see if it’s as good as you say it is.

the employee hands you the muffins while changbin paid, and you go to sit down at your usual spot, except this time, you're with changbin. 

as soon as changbin sits down, he stands right back up. “i think you were so excited about the muffins that you forgot about our coffee, dingus”

your ears go red with embarrassment. “oops, sorry”

changbin gets back up to bring your coffee and pay, but you’re busy staring outside. suddenly, a cute brown bunny jumps on the windowsill outside, her adorable nose twitching ever so slightly. you twitch your nose right back at her, mimicking her actions.

changbin walks back with your coffee, but doesn’t sit at the table just yet. instead, he stands and watches from afar, he doesn’t think he could be close to you while you look so adorable without flushing bright red right there and then. 

after a minute or so, he finally makes his way to your table, still watching as you wave to the bunny. 

completely forgetting that changbin was with you, you jerk your head to his seat after you see someone sitting in it. “oh, sorry, i didn’t know you were here yet”

he hands you your drink, and crouches so his head is at the same level as the bunny. quickly, the bunny hops away as fast as she can, making a run for the field in the back. 

“you scared her away, stupid”

he looks back at you with a frown, “i know. i didn’t mean to though”

he’s upset because he ruined your fun, but you just laughed at him. 

“binnie you have to try this muffin. it’s incredible, i promise.” 

he tentatively takes a bite, and you smile wide when you see his eyes widen.

“you really weren’t joking, this is phenomenal”

“what can i say, i have good taste”

he playfully scoffs at your words, but finishes his muffin and drags you out before you can order another one. you both make your way back home together, changbin forgetting what he woke you up for the first place. he didn’t regret it though, not one bit.

you have your eyes set on the ring on yeji’s dresser. yeji was a popular singer, rich and chic. most things she owns are expensive, so you thought why not. you climb in through the window, but you slow down slightly when you hear rustling behind you.

grabbing the ring and placing down your card, you swiftly hide under the bed when you see a shadow behind you. 

they enter the room, looking for something on the dresser, only to find your card there. ‘tsunami’

“shit”, you heard him whisper.

well, at least now you knew he was a guy. he makes his way out, but you linger there for a while. you took a quick peek from under the bed, only to see his face shrouded by a balaclava, just like you did.

you make your way out not too long after a while, and celebrate your mini victory with a trip to the cafe. thank goodness it’s open twenty four hours.

the next few weeks go by, random trips with changbin, pressure with work, and of course, your little competition with ‘angel’. it sucked that you lived in the same town and had the same targets, but what could you do in such a small town. 

the both of you have been making headlines left and right. it’s always, “angel this” or “tsunami that”, and quite honestly you found it funny no one’s caught you yet. it’s not like you were being all that careful, even though you probably should be.

you make your way to the closet, getting ready for the party at your house today. you decided to pick a fitted black dress, short and cropped at the thigh. 

you walked out the room to help changbin, who’s getting all the drinks ready for the party. you know how much he and his friends love getting wasted. as soon as you enter, changbin jerks his head towards you, jaw slowly hanging open.

you didn’t really expect changbin to have that kind of reaction, but then again, he’s never really seen you in a dress. you’re not that much of a partier. suddenly, heat spreads throughout your entire face, and you are certain you look like a strawberry right now.

changbin, quickly snapping back to reality, starts fixing the tables again, doing anything to distract him from his thoughts. “you look nice”. 

“yeah yeah, your reaction told me enough”

changbin stops in his tracks, “sorry i didn’t mean to-“

“im just teasing, stupid”

he flashes you a nervous smile before getting back to work, and that’s when you hear the door open. you quickly walk over to invite them in. 

“YUNA!”

yuna runs towards you to give you a big hug. it’s been so long since you’ve last seen her. 

“oh my gosh! how are you?”

your conversation went on regularly, and more people started coming in. lia joined in too, and you were all enjoying your time together. 

most people were already drunk. jisung is already white girl wasted. it honestly looked kind of fun, you really needed to let loose. so eventually you figured, why not? it’s not like you have to drive yourself home right?

you began taking a couple shots with seungmin. you weren’t all that drunk yet, so you took a couple more. your body wasn’t very used to alcohol, since you haven’t drank that much in your life at all. 

suddenly, it hits you like a ton of bricks. the haziness, adrenaline, and before you knew it you were dancing with lia, screaming your lungs off. 

changbin was still with jisung, not doing any better than you. he’s had too many to drink tonight, that’s for sure, but is that going to stop him? no. no it’s not. 

and it’s not stopping you either.

you begin making your way to the kitchen again, grabbing another shot and downing it. it stung your nose a bit, but it’s not like you cared. you feel great, you haven’t felt so alive in a while. 

you made it back onto the dance floor, where you felt a pair of hands on your hips. you didn’t necessarily care who it was, you just lost yourself to the beat. he danced with you, his muscular arms beginning to wrap around your waist. 

you turned around, vision hazy, but you could still see changbins figure standing right in front of you. he began to speak nonsense, slurring his words. “you look s’ pretty, couldn’t help it”, he hummed.

you didn’t realize what you were doing before you latched your lips onto his. you blamed it on the adrenaline rush, but he just sounded too beautiful for you to stop now. he deepened the kiss, pulling you closer and holding onto your waist.

you slowly pull away, still in a daze and not realizing what’s going on. lia quickly pulls you away somewhere in the crowd. she didn’t realize what you were doing either, but she had something she wanted to talk to you and yuna about. 

soon, the party ends, and chan helps you and changbin clean up the house a bit. being the driver, chan is obligated to stay sober, but it’s not like he drank all that much anyways. he gets changbin into bed somehow with a lot of fussing. 

mayuka, another one of your friends, gets you changed and ready for bed as well, and it isn’t ’t all that hard of a task since the alcohol began wearing off. you can’t remember anything that happened tonight, but all you know is that you’re going to wake up with the worst headache of your life.

you wake up just as expected, your head was ringing, and you woke up incredibly late. you get out of bed and got ready for the day. changbin already got home with the muffins, going to the cafe becoming a daily routine for your saturdays together. 

instead of coffee, he grabs the apple juice from the fridge. “fruit juice helps more with hangovers. you feeling okay?”

“yeah i’m fine, my head just hurts a little”, even thorough your exhaustion, you manage to give him a little smile. he ruffles your hair and then pours you a glass of juice, handing you your muffin and walking back to his room. 

your memory slowly starting coming back, and your thoughts went back to what happened last night. you were embarrassed, but decided not to speak of it since changbin probably forgot about it.

that same night you decide to target miihi this time, another famous singer. you manage to find her whole jewelry box, and you knew it had to be valuable. you make your way into her bathroom, where her items are. you stop in your tracks when you hear a whisper. 

“what do you think you’re doing.”

you turn around and see a man in a black compression shirt, a ski mask covering his face.

‘angel’

“the same thing you’re doing. stealing. i’m willing to split it if you want” 

“splitting? now why would i do that”

you thought about this for a moment. either of you could just take the box and run with it, but you try to think of an answer.

“i’d rather not argue right now, my head hurts a lot”

fine, whatever, he’d accept it. but only for his own sake. his head hurt a lot too.

he reaches for the jewelry box, but you quickly snatch it and make a run for it. you’re tired, your head hurts, but you can’t let him win. 

unfortunately, you trip over the side of the bathroom door, and fall with a thud. angel starts snickering, and you freeze. you’ve heard that laugh somewhere before. it’s unmistakable. 

you’re hallucinating. you have to be hallucinating. there is no way angel, the bane of your existence, was seo fucking changbin.

you quickly come back to your senses when you hear footsteps. you scramble to put everything back. you turn off the lights, and drag angel changbin with you into the cabinet. 

it’s crowded, and you’re trying your best not to make any noise. you’re incredibly close to him, and it’s all clear to you now. you look over to his arms, big and muscular. just like changbin. you look at his shirt, it’s the shirt he loves to wear when in the mood to show off.

you look straight into his eyes. angel is without a doubt, seo changbin. you let that sink in for a while.

you sit there with changbin for a good 20 minutes. you wanted to make sure miihi fell back asleep. soon, you both exit the cramped cabinet. 

you take your fair share and leave as fast as you can, not looking back at changbin. you make sure he lost track of you, and made it back home 10 minutes before he did. 

you were scared. you didn’t know how to tell changbin you knew about his secret.

changbin has been thinking about the kiss you shared nonstop for the past week. the videos were posted everywhere, he’s surprised you didn’t see it. 

even though he was drunk as hell, he remembers every single thing. 

he remembers how your eyes fluttered shut.

he remembers the feeling of your plush thighs caging his knee.

and most of all he remembers the way your lips feel on his.

they fit so perfectly together, like a lock and a key. he wishes he could just tell you about it, about how he felt about it. but he couldn’t. he knows you didn’t mean the kiss, you were just drunk. he wished he could’ve stayed with you that night to tell you how he felt, but he couldn’t. 

he checked his maps, and clicked onto your location. you were already leaving the house and on your way to your new location. he’s found the perfect distraction.

he chooses a different route and gets there before you, holding the jewelry right in front of your face. you leave the house together and you stare at him in disbelief. 

“how do you always know where i’m going?”

“i have my ways” 

you two begin to talk more once you get further from the house. you’re certain it’s changbin, his loud voice is a dead giveaway. 

he gets more comfortable talking to you, or perhaps, your persona. you catch on quickly, and you couldn’t stop yourself from blurting out your thoughts.

“you know who i am, don’t you.”

“of course i do, you’re tsuna-“

“no changbin, you know who i am”, you reiterate.

changbins at a loss for words. he stops walking, and you’re now standing in front of him. 

“i’m sorry, i was going to tell you soon i swear”

you slowly pull your mask off, and pull his off seconds later. “why? i’m not upset at you binnie, im just a little confused”

he looks at you with his mouth agape, like he’s trying to say something, but he can’t get it out. you give him a reassuring smile, and he mumbles something under his breath.

“what was that? i couldn’t hear you”, voice still soft.

“i wanted to… get your attention”, he confesses.

your eyes widen a bit. you’d be lying if you said you weren’t surprised, but you held changbin’s hand tightly. you didn’t want to push him away or scare him.

“you know you can just text me right?”

he couldn’t stop himself from rambling. “i’m sorry, it’s just that- you don’t seem to like me all that much. not how i want you to like me. i thought that if i could be angel i could get your attention somehow and… i don’t know- impress you i guess.”

you can see how his cheeks flush after his confession. you hold him closer to you and brush his messy hair out of his face. 

“i’m sorry i made you feel that way, but i promise you that’s not how i feel at all”

changbin frowns. he’s scared you’ll hate him after this. he still decides to let you explain. 

“then how do you actually-“ 

he got cut off by a bruising kiss. your hands make your way to his hair and you tug at it, pushing him closer to you. he closes his eyes and holds you closer to him, enjoying the moment before it had to end. you couldn’t let him go this time, not how you let him go at the party.

you pull back from him and look into his eyes. they’re slightly teary, but you’re still not done with your confession, so you continue.

“changbin…”

a kiss on his cheek.

“i.”

a kiss on his jawline.

“love.”

a kiss on his neck.

“you.”

a kiss on his collarbone.

you look back up at him, and the crimson has passed to his chest as well. he pulls you closer for a crushing hug.

“i love you so much y/n”

you hear the erratic beating of his heart in his chest.

“what’s wrong?”

he places his chin on your shoulder and kisses your neck. 

“you have no idea how long i’ve waited for this my angel.”

your heart swells at the petname, even though you’ve been called it many times. 

after a few moments of walking and giggling with eachother, you bring up another point.

“so i’m guessing you’re going to stop stealing now?”

“yeah i probably am. you should stop too, i don’t want you getting arrested or anything, dumbass”

“hey! well, the only reason i continued stealing was to get on ‘angel’s nerves”, you scoff.

you make it back to your house and you both get ready, but before you can make it to your bed, he picks you up bridal style. 

“changbin?” 

he sets you down on his bed and lays down next to you. you open your mouth to speak but he doesn’t let you say a word and instantly starts peppering kisses all over your face.

“jeez, changbin-“, you giggle. you try to wriggle out of his hold, but he won’t let you.

“no, please”, he spoke softly “please don’t leave”. you stare into his eyes, a pure form of love swirling around in them. “i’ve been waiting for you for so long. please stay. just this once…”

after a few moments of more cuddling, you speak up. “you know, after i kissed you at the party i thought you would’ve confessed not too long after.

“you remember that?!”

“how could i forget, dummy”, you giggled.

you kiss him again, just like you did at the party, smiling onto his lips, and you wrap your arms and legs around him. maybe it’s too soon, but you’re far too comfortable with changbin to start from the very beginning. 

“i love you binnie”, a peck on his nose.

embarrassed, he hides his face in your neck. “i love you too, angel.”

<3

[supertrxshwrites]

Maneater part II

Jason Todd x Reader

( I might write a short to end this better but uuuh yeah here’s pt.2 sorry in advance for spelling errors I did NOT proofread this…Oh uh I’m tagging you bc I saw your comment on pt. 1 @justyouraveragekleemain )

TW// blood mention, wound, cut,

“Fuck, me” you say as Jason speeds off into the night,rain sprinkles down leaving small droplets on your arms before its pace picks up and it starts to pour.

You trot back up the stairs to grab your helmet and purse before walking to the closest bus stop, your wait wasn’t too long when you heard the creak of the bus coming to a halt, the hiss of the doors opening takes you back to your high school days. You shake the thought away before stepping onto the bus, you dig through your wallet practically blowing dust off your bus card praying there’s enough on it. You swipe it and the driver nods his head in approval for you to take a seat, the fluorescent lights shining down on the dark blue plastic of the seats. There’s a few people on but you can tell it’s nearing the end of the line, older men with brown paper bags hugging what’s probably a 40oz beer, a woman with two sleeping children and what looks like grocery bags. Only a sight you’d catch on public transit, people from different walks of life in one place. You catch the bus driver looking at you through the mirror, a bit annoyed that you haven’t picked a seat yet, you quickly choose one scooching close to the window sighing as the rain makes a pitter patter sound against the glass. As the bus moves you feel a headache coming on as you start to think about the events of the nights gala experience. You never saw Jason as anything romantically, he’s been your best friend forever and you assumed that he just felt the same way. Once the bus comes to a stop near your apartment you release a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, you grab your purse and helmet and step off before crossing the street to your apartment complex. You walk through the parking lot and take the elevator to your floor and finally make it to your door a deep sigh leaving your lungs the second you turn the key in the lock. You throw the helmet on your couch and practically run to your room falling face first into the mattress.

“What the fuck” you say voice muffled from the pillows. You roll over to check your phone to see if maybe Jason has texted you, but there’s nothing.

──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆────────

About a week goes by since you’ve seen Jason. Not a text, a call or even a knock on your door. You had been blowing him up but not a single answer.

“Whatever” you say to yourself quietly in your empty apartment as you plop down onto the couch to watch some corny show.

That’s when you hear a light tapping sound. The first time you heard it you shrugged it off and continued the show you were watching, but then you heard it a second time which made you nervous. You got up and slowly crept towards your bedroom hoping that it was just rain on the window and you could return to watching TV.

You hear a slight thud on the window followed by a streaking noise. You inhale sharply as you finally have a full view of the fire-escape window in your bed room. The glass is foggy and all that you can make out is the shadow of a person which makes you even more nervous. A pang of nausea hitting your stomach, you step closer and that’s when your heart begins to pound.

“ what the fuck?!” The breathe you sucked in earlier spilling out of you like a balloon. You shuffle over to the window pushing it up and before you can react. The figure falls over onto the floor knocking things over in the process.

“ Hnn..took you long enough..fuu..ck” he says between wheezes

Your eyes widen as you finally collect your thoughts as to what’s unraveling in front of you.

“JASON?!” you say in a confused tone.

“Floors so cold…hnn and soothing” he wheezes out before rolling over slowly, blood spilling from his torso.

You drop to your knees next him.

“YOURE BLEEDING!” Panic settles into every nerve in your body as you try to pull Jason’s massive frame from the floor. Your mind is racing, you hadn’t heard from him in days and now he’s the fucking Red Hood bleeding all over your floor and bedroom?!

“Y/n..” he mutters your name before you continue to drag him to your chair in the living room. His wheeze becoming most prominent when he tries to speak. You shush him for a moment before pressing your temples with your eyes clothes.

“I need a moment” you take a deep breathe before you pull your hair up and grab your first aid kit.

“Look I’m not great at this Jason I’ve never had to patch or sew anyone up before.”

Your eyes dart at every part of him before you sit between his legs and situate your self so you’re able to tend to his wounds without leaning on him too much.

“What the fuck is your problem?!” You snap at him as you help him out of his dirty brown leather jacket and lift his shirt up.

“I-“

“No Jason don’t speak!” You say putting your gloved index finger up

“You take me to a gala! You leave me to find your dad and then embarrass me only to leave me there?!” You say as you dab his cuts with alcohol a wince slipping from his lips.

“And-and- then you ignore me?!” You say angrily as you begin to apply bandages.

“Jesus Christ…can you..shut up!” He says cutting you off through gritted teeth.

“I needed time to think about what I wanted to say to you. How I wanted to apologize about how I acted at the gala-“ he says before the tilting his head back and whimpering in pain.

Your mouth hangs open surprised at his words. You weren’t expecting this from him, you didn’t even consider that he’d apologize for what happened at the gala.

“I..Jay..” you stammer as you close the first aid kit and dispose of your gloves and any dirty tools. For a while you both sit in silence, the soft hum of your fan rotating echoing through your apartment.

“You’re my best friend Y/N, I wanted to tell you about me being Red Hood…then the gala happened and I was so mad-“

You look at him before sucking in a deep breath.

“Jason…it’s fine..yeah I’m worried about you being a vigilante but there’s worse things” you laugh a bit as you shrug

“Wow..um you took this better than I thought you would.” He laughs a bit before wincing.

You check the time before getting up to grab a few blankets and pillows. You make up the couch for him and you sit down and pat the spot next to you. He gets up using the chair to steady himself before sitting next to you.

“Jason…” you pause for a moment before you continue his green eyes have your full attention.

“I have always loved you. You have and will always be my first love Jay..I never wanted to say it because I was afraid you’d run away or I’d ruin it some how if I ever said anything. S’why I always settled for shitty guys I guess”

You feel the words pouring out of you like vomit, your stomach flipping as you confess. He lets out a breathy laugh as he leans closer, he brushes some of your hair away before cupping your face a soft smile forming on his face. His thumb softly caressing your cheek, you feel a chill down your spine at the contact, goosebumps appearing on your arms.

“Can I?” He asks softly as he leans closer.

You nod with a smile before Jason closes the gap between you two.

You feel your body enveloping in warmth as he kisses you. Your heart flutters as each second passes, when he pulls away it feels like two magnets being pulled apart.

“I love you too, Y/N”

[villainsblog97]

Xdinary Heroes Reaction AU: their S/O wearing their hoodie

My best friend @villainous-staytiny gave me this lovely little idea!

Summary: how do our Heroes react to seeing you in one of their hoodies?

Warnings: some language and maybe some (semi) intimate scenes? 🤔 (they might get a little excited)

Scenario: boyfriend, romance, fluff, comedy

Gun-il

Okay so he's gonna be all chill about it

On the inside

But as soon as he saw you

Laying on his bed

In your leggings and his hoodie

His mind is going 100 MPH

He's in a trance

Get it together Koo Gun-il!

"Gunil? You okay?"

Hearing your voice snapped him out of the trance

"I'm fine Jagiya... but uh... why do you have my hoodie?"

"It was freezing and I didn't have my jacket, I can take it off if you want?"

"No no! That's quite okay!"

Jungsu

Okay, so let's sayJungsu had a hella stressful day

And he came home late

And that's when he say his baby

All curled up on the couch

Wearing his hoodie

Sleeping peacefully on the couch

Jungsu suddenly forgot about his hard day

A smile fell onto his lips

Jungsu kneeled down to you

Moving the hood that was over your head and kissing your forehead

The feeling made you twitch awake

But you were so happy to see your boyfriend again

Gaon

Okay Jiseok would lose his shit!

When he sees you in his hoodie

Jiseok.exe has stopped working

Like Windows shut down noises

He gave you a hoodie because you accidentally spilled coffee on your shirt

So you put it on

And now Jiseok is broken

You broke Jiseok

He's not gonna concentrated at all now

Because the sight of you has him distracted

"Jiseok are you okay?"

Boys got a million error noises playing in his head

Ode

It was a long night

Seungmin was stuck in the studio

Practicing his parts

You wanted to bring him something to eat

You had ordered some chicken

But you forgot your jacket

So you slipped into your boyfriend's dorm and grabbed one of his hoodies

Shortly after you walked into the studios of JYP

Holding the bag of chicken

Seungmin sat at his keyboard

Practicing hard

But his concentration was broken when he saw you

"Uuuuuuuuhhhh......."

"I brought you some food Minnie"

He was just staring at you

He wasn't gonna let you go anywhere

Junhan

Knowing Hyeongjun

He's gonna get shy af!

Like really shy

He's loving the sight in front of him

But damn his heart won't slow down

"I-is it too warm?"

"Nope it's perfect"

He's lowkey gonna let you keep his hoodie

Because he loves how you look in it

But he also knows

He's not getting it back

Ever again

Jooyeon

Jiseok 2.0

But

It's like more panic wise

Like he had a bottle of water

And you came out with his hoodie on

He turned around

Water is falling out of his mouth

"Sorry Joo it's just freezing cold in here!"

No words

Jooyeon is stuck

"Joo? Jooyeon? Lee Jooyeon?"

"Nope!" He says as he sets the water bottle down

He runs over

Picks you up

Throwing you over his shoulder

And carries you to his room for cuddles

[bluiex]

A thought- an au with trans masc bad boy Grian and trans fem fun girl Scar (we need more of her)

Just the, Grian having a motorcycle and a black leather jacket and he’s just fixing up his vehicle when he meets her and thinks she’s gorgeous and eventually they talk and Scar makes the decision to disclose that she’s trans fem after it becomes pretty clear that Grian is interested in her.

Scar expects him to be upset and not interested in her anymore cause she has issues but Grian has the “and? Doesn’t matter to me, I think you’re lovely…also I’m trans masc myself” reaction and he can practically hear the windows error noises emulating from her.

But yeah Grian wears a lot of black and a leather jacket and he looks intimidating and cool while Scar has a lot of fun and bright and creative outfits…you know those long poodle skirts? She has one of those but it has a cat on it instead.

Grian just on the side of the street, fixing his bike, when the tallest most prettiest lady ever walks by ttalking animatedly on her phone AWESTRUCK rushes to talk to her an get her number-

OMG YES She'd look so pretty in a poodle skirtt

[someone-always-cares]

chapter 5, page 48

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[image description: an sac webcomic page. "seems like a normal kitchen. coast's clear, but it's locked." jade says, off panel. theres a view of the kitchen from the outside. no acual kitchen appliances are shown, but there is a island counter, and a few shelves in the back with various items, notably camera equipment, cleaning supplies, and assorted boxes. "we'll have to break in here, everything else is boarded. you remember what i taught you about breaking glass?" she continues. "yeah. it'll be loud though" lewis replies. "we'll just have to take whoever hears us." jade states, the panel now showing jade hiding to the side of the window, looking at it out of the corner of her eye, while lewis has wandered off and is kneeled down to pick up something off the ground. "this glass seems sturdier than the wine glasses lewis practiced with... can he do it? i've never been able to get the frequency right, but surely any glass will break with a loud enough noise?" jade thinks to herself, looking through the window, still to the side of it, while frowning contemplatingly. she seems to be unaware of lewis behind her, raising the brick he just picked up like one would when preparing to pitch a baseball, and sticking his tongue out in concentration. end id]

yall are getting a treat with me drawing actual backgrounds the past few pages! my computer fucking hates it and has tried to crash my art program many times but im not losing to a fucking machine so the page is ready to go! and yeah i didnt think to google what a broken wire fence looks like until typing this

anyway some life updates. next page may be a little late, i have a convention this weekend (if anyone is headed to animeleague london anime and gaming festival this weekend feel free to say hi! its the one with the star fairy lights and like. my art in it? yeah. also for the same con in birmingham in a couple weeks)

also ended up getting those wooden pride cat pins! or the charms, i need to glue the actual pin bits in and that tomorrow's task!! and even more importantly, i've started the process of trying to make sac into an actual printed comic!! so far it seems like im just going to start with chapter 1, because with the printer im thinking of using, anything over 76?ish pages is automatically more expensive so currently only have the funds for chapter one (50ish pages inc bonus and prologue).

also because turns out theres more work than i thought. theres some things like getting the colours cmyk ready and fixing typos and other errors, there is some size problems (the first 6 pages in particular need to be redone entirely but not much of a loss. they look.... Not Great. maybe prologue too). also some "accidentally lost some files and the backups of said files in an external drive related incident a couple years ago" but i've got my best experts on the case (asking my dad for help). i also need to change the font since the old pages are using the old version of the font. also a front cover because i never made a cover for chapter 1. anyway. its a start

anyway this was long i really needed to sleep a few hours ago lol. its only 1am but its been a day

[jhonatheshiny]

Dragonfable: A Hero's Breakfast

WARNING! STUFFING HUMOR AND FEEDERISM CONTENT AHEAD! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED!

After a long, long day of adventuring, as well as a longer and more tiring fight with a hydra, Suut finally arrived at Falconreach. The second thing she noticed was how nice of a place it seemed. The crisp night air and the glow from the local Inn all suggested it to be a cozy place to rest.

The first thing she noticed was how much of an appetite she worked up from fighting that hydra. Knowing she'd need a base to eat and sleep between quests, she went to see if there was a vacant room in the Inn.

As she walked into the Inn, she was greeted by the warm smile of the Innkeeper, Serenity. "Hello there, stranger! Welcome to Falcon's Nest Inn. Make…." she paused for a moment, noticing how thoroughly exhausted her new guest looked.

"My goodness! You look like you've had quite a day, miss…."

"Suut.." She answered groggily. "And yeah, that'd be an understatement. I know it's kinda late, but you got a room available?"

Serenity beamed. "Of course! And our accomodations include my signature Hero's Breakfast,…."

Suut immediately perked up. "Hero's Breakfast!?"

"But of course!" Serenity added. "Don't want adventurers going out on an empty stomach, after all!"

As she was talking, the noise from Suut's pudgy gut could be heard plain as day.

"Forgive me for asking, but have you not had dinner yet?' Serenity asked politely.

Suut sighed. "No, I got stuck fighting a hydra at the bridge."

"Well goodness, you must've worked up an appetite then!" Serenity added.

"Unfortunately, I've already used up my dinner ingredients, but I have some spare bread from this afternoon. It's the Inn's special recipe!"

Suut's eyes lit up. "Yes, please!" She added. "Oh, sorry. Was that way too loud?"

After eating some(over half) of Serenity's spare bread, Suut went up to her new room, ready to sleep off her exasperating hydra fight.

~

As the morning sun peeked out through the window curtains of her newfound room, Suut attempted to muster up the energy to drag herself out of bed. Still somewhat worn out from yesterday's hydra fight, this was easier said than done

Suddenly she heard a knock at the door, along with a familiar voice.

"Wakey wakey, Suut! It's morning time!" Serenity gently announced.

After a good 15 seconds, Suut finally replied. "Working on it…" She stated through a yawn.

Serenity waited another 15 seconds. All she heard was silence on the other side.

"C'mon, Suut, I made you a Hero's Breakfast!"

Suddenly, she could hear the frantic shuffling of Suut trying to get dressed.

"Be right down!" She yelled enthusiastically.

After quickly getting dressed and brushing her hair, she made her way to the Inn table. What she saw made her jaw drop and her mouth water.

It was a practical smorgasbord of a breakfast, including chickencow eggs, tuskmonger sausage links, mounds of bacon, and a tankard of freshly squeezed orange juice. All in exceptionally large quantities.

"Is this..... how big you usually make a Hero's Breakfast?" Suut asked, still dazed by her amazement.

"Not necessarily!" Serenity beamed proudly. "But considering.... how hungry you were last night.... I figured you would still have quite the appetite when you woke up. I hope it isn't too much!"

After Serenity finished, a small rumble could be heard from Suut's stomach. "Guess my gut might agree with that!" She added.

After getting herself seated, the first thing she decided to try was one of the tuskmonger links. As she bit into it, the flavor took her aback. It was wonderfully savory, with a hint of spice and none of the gaminess she had experienced from eating tuskmonger before.

After that she tried the eggs. And the bacon. All of it was amazing to her!

"Wow, this is awesome stuff! How'd you learn to cook like this?" She asked through mouthfuls of the links.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Serenity answered, slightly embarassed by the compliment. "Just a little trial and error!"

"I can tell you that it'd take more than trial and error for me to cook like this!" She told her after gulping down a huge mouthful of orange juice.

"Well, I'm glad you like it!" Serenity stated as proudly as she could be. Honestly, she was worried that she had overestimated her newfound guest's appetite. She had never cooked this much for a single guest before, and knew that if she were this insatiable every morning, she'd have a hard time keeping up with it. Though at that moment, it was hard to think about that.

~

After a solid hour of shoveling the contents of her Hero's Breakfast into her distended belly, she let out a heavy sigh of contentment. She had finished the tuskmonger links, bacon, andd nearly all of the chickencow eggs. And at that point, she was thoroughly satisfied.

"Whew! Been a while since I ate that much good food!" Suut stated, before letting out a hearty belch.

Serenity didn't respond. She just stood there in amazement. But soon enough, she added something her new guest wouldn't have expected.

"Um, actually, if you don't mind me asking...." Serenity muttered nervously. "Is it possible that you have enough... appetite... left to finish the eggs? I'd hate to let them go to waste."

Suut blinked anxiously. Her stomach answered with a loud churning noise. She honestly was already really full from everything else. Could she really finish what was left of the eggs? But seeing how nervous Serenity looked asking her this, she answered before she could stop herself.

"Sure."

She honestly didn't know what she was thinking.

~

After another 30 minutes, she left out the door of Falcon's Nest Inn. Rather, she hobbled out. It was all she could manage without falling down after her massive morning feast. She was so full that she could hear and even feel the rumbling of her swollen belly beneath her hand. But as she was thinking of how bad of an idea finishing off those eggs was, a voice came from the side of the inn.

"Hey there, Miss Suut!" The boy with the sword said. "My name's Ash."

Suut took a second to hold back a burp. "Nice to meet ya, kid. Wait... How did you know my name?"

"Oh, Serenity told me about you. She seemed really happy that you liked her bread!"

[anciientboosh]

[axwalker]

Jealousy--One Shot

Book: The Royal Romance, Book 2. Engagement Tour. 

Pairing: Drake Walker x Alexis O’Brien (MC) 

WORDS: I’m using my WD golden ticket so 3,000 words. 

POV: Dual 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: SMUT!! 🍋🍋🍋 A very frustrating Drake and Alexis.  

ALL MY FICS ARE +18 !!!! 

I’m participating in the  @wackydrabbles​   prompts. This week’s prompt is “I can’t do this anymore.” 

I apologize for any grammatical errors.   

Tags in the comments ;) 

DRAKE

Standing next to my window, I admire the Roman ruins of the Palatine hills as the royal train rolls into Rome. I’ve always loved Italy, but something about this trip is getting to me. It might be the woman occupying the cabin next to mine. It might be the fact that my best friend is almost as crazy about her as I am. Almost. He can’t possibly care for her the way I do. I down the rest of my glass and pick up a simple shirt and a pair of pants for tonight’s banquet. Fuck the black tie.

Since O’Brien came back to court, I tried to avoid her as much as I could. As a result, I’d cut off a leg tonight just to lay eyes on her again. I crave her like a drug. I spent the last few days debating with myself, and each day I grow a little more desperate, my arguments growing wilder and less probable by the minute. “Maybe” is how every single thought began, each one borne of desperation. Maybe I can make Liam understand that I’m crazy about the woman he loves. Maybe he’ll understand that I’ve been lying for months. Maybe Alexis will realize that she wants a quiet life with me. It’s a weakness on my part; I just need to get through this banquet without giving into it.

Thank God there’s a bar. I’m going to need something to make this experience tolerable. I grab a whiskey and drink half of it before I even head to my table. I’m halfway there when my eyes meet Kiara’s. She’s been leaving me flirty messages since we built the barn to celebrate Liam’s engagement. She’s a beautiful and smart woman but I couldn’t be less interested. 

“Come with me,” she says, pulling at my elbow. “I saved you a seat.” 

At that very moment, Lexie walks in. She’s wearing a red silk dress that matches her lips, pours over her curves, and reveals only a hint of cleavage while allowing you to imagine what you can’t see too fucking easily. Her hair falls over her shoulders and down her back, highlighting her long neck and her gorgeous face. As always, I seem to settle on her mouth. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen her wear red lipstick before, and, for some reason, this opens an entire box of fantasies. I want to see it soiled. To kiss her so hard that neither of us can breathe. To pull back and find that mouth ajar, panting, the lipstick a red blur around the edges., I want it so badly I’m not sure how I’ll get through the goddamn night without having it. My hands sliding that silk dress over her head, learning every inch of her the way I’ve dreamed about for months. Except right now, Lexie’s eyes are fixed on the point where Kiara’s arm is linked with mine, and her expression—sad and wounded—is like a knife to my chest. I step away from Kiara, grabbing my drink and draining it. “I’m sitting with Maxwell and Olivia,” I tell her firmly. 

 “Doesn’t Lexie look gorgeous?” Max asks. My eyes move across the room again. Her red dress shimmers, sticks on her curves. `

“She looks like she needs more clothes,” I complain. 

“Olivia helped her choose that dress,” Max says with a brow arched. “It fits her like a glove.” 

“Yeah,” I reply. “That’s sort of the problem.” 

My gaze is still on her, though. Moving up from her hips to her waist to her breasts, back up to that mouth of hers. I picture it again; the lipstick smeared, her breathless under me. And then a single hand cups her hip bone, visible through the thin silk, and I’m ejected from my fantasy at high speed. My lust transforms into rage in a single breath. Fucking Signore Francesco Lombardi. When everyone finally takes their seats, I discover that she and Francesco are at the table on the other side of mine, giving me a painfully direct view of the two of them. Whenever she stands, his eyes are on her, devouring her. He paws at her when she returns, jumping to pull out her chair but managing to get his fucking hands over approximately sixty percent of her body when he does it. And if he tries to look down her dress one more time, I’m definitely taking him out. I don’t give a fuck about our diplomatic relationships with Italy. I go to the bar again and ask for another glass of Macallan. Tonight it’s either get drunk or completely lose my shit in front of hundreds of witnesses. Pretentious food and great speeches are given out that I don’t notice. She is more real to me than anything in this room or out of it, the only thing I can see. No one knows her fears like I do. No one knows how fragile she really is, how deeply sweet. How funny and smart and kind. But I know. And for all the fighting we’ve done, there aren’t two people in this room as made for each other as the two of us. My world is constructed entirely of rules about what I owe Liam –my education, my career, and so many other things. But somehow, it excludes the only thing that matters to me. Her. If it weren’t for how Liam feels about her, she’d be here with me tonight. I watch her say something to Liam, and he nods, his eyes telling her how he feels. Jealousy runs through my veins. 

 “Enough,” I say quietly as I stand. I don’t know what possesses me to follow her. I know, with every bone in my body, that I have no claim on her. But I saw that look in Liam’s eyes, the one that says he’ll do anything for her, and I found myself on my feet. She’s halfway down the hall by the time I reach her. She looks over her shoulder warily when she hears me, but she is too late. I’m already there. I grab her elbow before she has time to react and pull her into an empty office. She stiffens and pulls back, ready as always to fight. Eyes flashing and hands on her hips. Seething before I’ve even said a word. “You have no right to—” That’s when I cup her jaw and capture that mouth I’ve longed for the whole goddamn night.

ALEXIS 

 His mouth comes down on mine, demolishing my pathetic attempt to object. He seizes it thoroughly, with such certainty, as if he’s spent his entire life practicing for this precise moment. His hands raking back through my hair, his tongue finding mine as he presses against me. His mouth moves over my neck, and he groans, a noise of both despair and satisfaction. 

“You didn’t want me a week ago, but now you do?” I start to push back, but he holds me tight against him. 

“I just don’t want you stuck in a shitty ranch with a poor veterinarian when it all ends. It was never about not wanting you.” I know there are other reasons why I’m supposed to object, but they escape me. I’ve wanted this too long, his hands on my body, my skin pressed against his, and his mouth creating a trail of kisses down my neck. It’s right. I’ve known nothing in my life with such certainty as the fact that nothing in the world matters more to me. His hands move from my hips to my breasts, and then he pulls one strap of my dress down, trailing slow, open-mouthed kisses over my shoulder and collarbone, almost reverently. Nipping with his teeth and soothing it with his tongue. He pulls the dress down to my waist, unclasps my bra with a single hand. He cups my breasts, bringing his mouth to them in the same way, sharp and sweet at once and creating a need in me so intense that it borders on pain. I gasp and arch toward him, submitting entirely as my head falls backward against the wall. He pulls back just enough to see my face. His chocolate eyes are dark now as he searches mine, looking there for something he desperately needs. Permission. He wants permission. As if I’d ever tell him no. 

“Yes,” I whisper. “Please.” 

“You’re sure?” His voice is gruff with desire. And when I nod, he pushes the dress over my hips and allows it to slide to the floor. His hands follow, skating over my hips, down my thighs, and I stand before him now in nothing but panties and heels. “That fucking dress nearly killed me,” he says, smoothing my skin as he kisses me again. He pushes against me, his shirt against my bare skin, his erection pressed hard to my stomach, a quick pulse there as if he is desperate for friction. He slides his index finger under the elastic of my panties. The moment he touches me, my whole body jolts. 

“Fuck,” he hisses, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. “You’re already soaked.” His finger slips back and forth, lightly, in torturous circles before it pushes inside me. 

“Oh God,” I whisper, my body bowing toward him. He adds a second finger, and this time his groan is louder than mine. 

“Jesus, Lex,” he growls. “You’re going to be the end of me.” 

I unclasp his belt and unzip his pants reaching down to pull him from the confines of his boxers. He is thick and heavy in my hands, hissing as my fingers wrap around him, tugging gently. 

“Stop,” he exhales after a minute. “I’m not gonna last if you do that, and there are so many things I want to do to you first.” 

He pushes my panties down and lifts me up almost simultaneously, turning to deposit me on the table behind us. He kisses me once, hard. “Lie back,” he commands. He drops to his knees, spreading my legs so I’m displayed before him. Suddenly, his fingers are joined by quick swipes of his tongue. 

“Oh my God,” I gasp. “Drake … just—”

 His mouth and tongue lick and brush and pull, creating flames that begin there and spread all the way to my toes. I try to move, but his free hand clamps down on my thigh, holding me in place. 

“I’ve dreamed about doing this every goddamn night for months, Alexis. So let me.” 

I can’t even nod in agreement because suddenly, everything inside me is building so quickly that I can’t tell where I am or where I’m going. 

“Oh,” I gasp. And then his fingers push inside me and I explode with a cry of ecstasy and surprise, arching against his mouth. He doesn’t pull back, but instead slides his hands beneath my legs and tugs me closer, buries his face to create wave after wave of something I never thought would happen in the first place. 

“Holy shit,” I breathe. He leans over to kiss me and when he does, I wrap my legs around his waist, bringing him against me so suddenly that he gasps in my mouth. 

“Lexie,” he groans. 

“Please,” I whisper. It seems impossible for anyone to be more satisfied than I am now, yet I still need the very thing Drake wants most, the thing he is so sure he shouldn’t give. He looks tortured and pulls back, but I tighten around him, pressing him against me. “Don’t even think about stopping right now.” He shifts his hips just enough that he is pressing right there, not inside me but mere seconds away from it. In a single pulse, he could be buried deep inside me. 

“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice tight. “Do we need …” 

“No,” I beg. “Just do it. I’m on the pill.”

He pushes in, barely. He’s so thick that already I’m stretched to the point of pain. 

“Oh fuck, Lexie,” he whispers. “God, that’s so good. Just give me a minute, or this is going to be over before it starts.” 

Finally, he moves once more, going slowly, a low noise deep in his chest as he finally shoves all the way in. 

“Are you okay?” he asks between clenched teeth. I nod as I adjust to the size of him, pain still outweighing the pleasure. It’s when he starts to withdraw that the pain recedes as a burst of pleasure sucks the air from my lungs. It feels too good, something so vast and all-consuming it can’t possibly end well. I never finish this way but oh my God… If it were ever going to happen, it would be now. His next thrust is faster, more certain, but he stops entirely at my sharp inhale. “Did I hurt you, baby?” he asks. 

“No.” He didn’t hurt me. He stunned me. His strokes come slow and rhythmic then, as he leans over, finding my mouth with the table bracing his weight, his arms taut. “I’ve wanted this for so fucking long,” he says, holding still inside me. 

“Keep going,” I beg. “Don’t stop.” 

“Patience,” he grins. “You have no idea how hard it is not to come right now.” 

I grab his ass and push upward, ignoring his warning, thrilling at the low grunt he makes. “Alexis,” he growls, “goddammit.” 

His hips jerk back and then forward, almost involuntarily. It’s all I need. I cry out as it happens again, everything inside me bursting. He thrusts quick and hard, desperate now, and then stiffens with a single guttural noise as he pushes in one final time. He falls against me, his mouth against my neck, his breath warm on my skin. It’s closer than I’ve ever been to another person, and I would like to stay here, just like this, forever. But after a moment, I open my eyes when I realize what we’ve done. 

It’s a little like waking from a dream. What the fuck have I done? The best sex I’ve ever had and the biggest mistake I’ve ever made just occurred simultaneously. The guilt and astonishment collide with each other. It was wrong. No matter what other considerations there are, I just slept with Liam’s best friend.

I know I don’t owe Liam anything. I came to Cordonia to see if there was something between us beyond that kiss in New York, and there wasn’t. He’s engaged to Madeleine and I’m hopelessly in love with his best friend. Bu this isn’t about me. This is about Drake. 

I just became that woman. The kind of woman that would stand between two brothers. The type of woman capable of breaking a lifelong friendship in a moment of lust. 

I know that sooner or later, Drake will resent me, us, if he loses Liam. Somewhere inside, I knew that, but because I wanted him and was jealous of Kiara, I chose to ignore it. He looks up at me, and his smile fades. 

“What are you thinking?” he asks. There’s dread in his voice. His jaw hardens. “You regret it.” 

“Drake,” I sigh, nestling in his chest. “It’s not that. It was…amazing. I just need to figure this out.” 

“Figure what out?” 

I bury my face in his neck. I don’t want to be having this conversation with him. I wish there was a way he could just hold me and take me to his cabin and work this all out on my own later. But there’s not. “What happens next. I mean, it shouldn’t have happened. We both know that. Liam… “

“No,” he snaps, pulling away. “Do not bring him up. Are you really going to let the way it might look to everyone outside this room dictate whether or not it’s okay? This is about us, Lexie. No one else.” 

Except it’s not everyone outside this room. It’s him. Until a week ago, Drake was determined to push me away. He didn’t want to betray his best friend. He told me over and over again that he wasn’t that kind of man. That he would never forgive himself. 

I let my need obliterate every reasonable thought, as usual. And in doing so, I’ve let myself down and—far worse—I may have put Drake’s friendship with Liam at risk. I pull away and grab my dress and bra off the floor. 

“We have to get back out there before someone notices we’re gone.” 

He buttons his shirt. “So you want to go back and continue flirting with Liam like this didn’t just happen?” he asks.

.

It’s right then, at that precise moment, that I realize that no matter what happens, Drake and I will never be together. Liam will always be there, between us. Right now, in our post-orgasmic bliss, Drake is not thinking straight, but I know what he will be telling me tomorrow morning. Or at least how he will be feeling. Guilty. 

“I can’t do this anymore.” I take a deep breath to calm myself. “So what matters most is that we both get through the banquet like nothing happened.” 

“And then what?” He growls.

His anger doesn’t scare me. “Can we please just get through the next hour?” I ask. “Liam is out there. Olivia, Max, Kiara are out there. The most important thing either of us can do right now is to act like nothing’s wrong.” 

He fastens his belt and moves to the door, his jaw rigid. He’s doing what I asked, but I hate that he’s leaving mad. I’m doing this for him. I don’t want him to lose the only relationship in his life that matters to him. “Drake, wait—” 

 “For what?” he demands. “I just fucked you on a table, and now you’re sending me on my way. What more could you possibly need to add to that?” With those parting words, he crosses the door and walks out, leaving me heartbroken. 

[chefdoeuvre]

Unsettling

Jay Halstead

Pairing: Jay Halstead x Fem!Reader

Description: Having a boyfriend who's a cop can sometimes save your life.

Words: 1,277

Requested: yes by anonymous; 42, 45 and 25 with jay halstead please!

Warnings: mentions of blood, injuries, hospitals, angst-ish (for like a half a second), fluff.

A/N: If anyone knows where to find a Jay please let me know. I don't know if I totally screwed up by making the reader fem, but I apologize if that's not what you were hoping for and if you want me to change it just let me know. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors.

—

You were busy at work, going through numerous files like any other day of the week. You were constantly either behind a desk or out checking the scenes. You worked with Arson Investigation, a job you never thought you would find yourself in, but you loved it nonetheless. After stumbling across a file with a statement that didn't entirely add up you decided to go check it out yourself.

After telling your boss where you were heading you gathered your things and headed off to the building. The building was abandoned long before it had burned down so you didn't expect to find anyone there. You pulled out your flashlight and walked around the building. You bent down to look through the wiring and heard a loud crash behind you. You whipped around to be faced with nothing. That was definitely unsettling, to say the least.

You shook your head before slowly turning back around to examine the wiring. You placed your flashlight down as you pulled on a pair of gloves to pull at the wiring in front of you. Finding a loose piece of what looked like could be part of the igniter you put the evidence into a bag, pocketed it, and slipped off your gloves.

You heard another loud crash and stood up quickly scanning your surroundings. If someone was here to kill you, you were screwed. You had no weapons and didn't know what you were dealing with in the slightest. Grabbing the closest pole near you, you held it up ready to swing. The pole was nowhere near being a good weapon, it was thin metal and probably wouldn't do much. You slowly inched your way to the door holding the pole up high.

Yet another crash sounded from inside the building. It was dark and you could hardly pinpoint where the crashes were originating from due to the open layout of the building. You stilled and tried to calm your breathing, waiting a few seconds until you could bolt out of there.

However, you had no such luck. In a matter of moments, someone came up from behind you and smashed something down over your head. You dropped to the ground in a daze, dropping the pole in the process. They quickly climbed on top of you and straddled your waist before pulling their arm back and throwing punches at you.

Still, in your daze, you tried to pull your arms up to cover your face. With a pounding headache forming, you did your best to push what you recognized to be a man, off of you.

Giving him a harsh shove he rolled off giving you a small window of chance to get up and grab your pole. When he came lunging toward you, you swung the pole with all your might aiming at his head. You heard the clang of the metal meeting his skull and backed away quickly. He dropped to the ground limply as you took a second to regain your breath. Leaving what seemed to be an unconscious man you quickly bolted toward the door.

The second you stepped out of the building you pulled your phone out of your pocket and called the authorities. As a wave of dizziness hit you stumbled onto the ground, too out of it to get back up again. The sirens wailed in the distance when they finally pulled up to the building. The paramedics immediately ran over to your limp body as you heard numerous voices shouting, but sounded muffled.

A warm hand was placed on your cheek as you reluctantly peeled your eyes open. You were met with the worried face of Sylvie, one of your friends from Firehouse 51.

"Jay, I've got her!" Sylvie turned her head and called out to the group of officers.

It turned out when the twenty-first district got the call Trudy immediately sent a call to Intelligence, who happened to be the closest and sent them to the scene. Jay was already a worried mess when they told him it was his girlfriend who was the one who called. When they pulled up to the scene Jay was frantically scanning the area in search of his girlfriend. After hearing Sylvie call out for him he wanted to practically run over to where her voice came from. He looked over to Voight before running off and his sergeant gave him a simple nod.

When Jay reached where Sylvie stood kneeling over your body he felt his heart shatter.

Jay kneeled down beside you as he cupped your face in worry, "are you hurt?" He examined you for any injuries only seeing the bruise forming on your cheek. You shut your eyes as you hummed at the warmth his hands brought to the throbbing in your head.

"She's fine, probably just a concussion and a few bruises." Sylvie reassured the man as she continued checking over you.

Once they loaded you into the ambulance Jay hopped into the back beside you. At the loud sirens, you let out a groan.

"Hey, you're okay." Jay reassured you as he placed a warm hand on your cheek.

You scrunched your face in pain at the loud noises and leaned into the palm of his hand. Soon enough you were wheeled into Med where Will luckily was on shift and checked you over.

You were now curled up into a ball on the uncomfortable hospital bed, sleeping with a peaceful look on your face. Jay sat in a chair beside you just combing your hair back, over time you had picked up that whenever he thought you were asleep he would play with your hair. You shifted and Jay immediately stopped what he was doing. You opened your eyes slowly, blinking to adjust to what little light was in your room.

"Hey." Jay greeted softly as he ran his thumb along your cheekbone.

"Hi." You gave him a small smile.

"Are you alright?" Jay asked, his blue eyes pooling with concern.

"Yeah, you know I can defend myself, right?" You let out a small giggle after seeing the look of disbelief on his face.

"Doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry about you." Jay mused.

"Can I get a hug? Please." You pouted as you pulled yourself up to a sitting position and held your arms out.

"Of course." Jay sat on the edge of the bed and pulled you into his arms. You hummed in pleasure and welcomed his warmth.

"You're adorable." Jay let out a small laugh when you nuzzled your head into his chest.

"That's why you like me, isn't it?" You asked in a teasing tone.

"Eh, there are a few other reasons." Jay hummed as he placed a kiss on the top of your head.

After a few moments of silence you spoke up, "Did you guys get him?" You asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah, we did. Adam says you got him pretty good yourself. He found the guy still unconscious." Jay chuckled a little at the fact.

"Yeah I did, didn't I?" You smiled slightly, see you could defend yourself.

"Don't scare me like that again." Jay murmured into your hair.

"No promises." You mused.

Jay pulled away to give you an unamused look. You only gave him a huge grin and a giggle before tightening your hold around his waist.

"I can't be mad if you’re acting all cute." Jay grumbled which garnered a laugh out of you.

"I'm glad you're okay though." Jay smiled down at you. You two were totally head over heels for each other and neither of you would have it any other way.

[4aloysius-porteu]

i am your ally || tsukishima kei.

pairing; tsukishima kei x f! reader

genre: oneshot, drama, flangst, a little comedy

word count: 5.6k

details: 3rd year Tsukishima, artist reader

warnings: reader going missing, verbal abuse, crushing of dreams, lots of sadness, heavy parental argument, everything that happens here hits home

synopsis: tsukishima didnt know what is the right thing to say after he heard of (y/n)’s situation, but the words that stumbled out from his mouth were a surprise, yet it blossomed to a meaningful talk that happens once in a blue moon.

(a/n): wrote in the middle of my depressing days to find a little comfort from this character that I love with all my heart. inspired by true situations irl; if you, my friend, is feeling down today, i hope reading this work of mine can help. i might make this into a full story if this got enough attention tho.

(Y/N) was nowhere to be found. 

It wasn't Tsukishima's habit to eavesdrop on other people's conversation, but he couldn't help but listen when he heard her name from her classmates. She was a consistent top student that will never neglect her studies, so it was unusual to know that she was absent today. He thought that maybe she got sick or she decided to go crazy and skip school. If it was the latter, he hoped that she knows what she's doing, because midterms are coming in 3 days, and he's not going to listen to her whines and begs to help her study for the tests.

And now he just happened to overhear that she was missing. 

He saw her parents walk out of the campus after talking to the vice-principal and to the teachers. Gossip filled the corridors and rooms. Tsukishima went back to his room, clearly annoyed with the unnecessary noise.

He listened to the lectures of each subject and continued to write down important points, but the thought of (Y/N) lingered in his head. What could've happened that led to her disappearance? Was she kidnapped? No, he just walked her home last night and she'll never leave her place past midnight. Kidnappers won't dare to make a move in daylight because of the town's high authority visibility. There's no way she'll be lost in an area she's very familiar with. 

She ran away from home. That is the only logical possibility he could come up with, but he couldn't think of an idea as to why. (Y/N), who loves to be cooped up in her room with music blaring in her earphones while drawing, left her home without a trace. Tsukishima was a little worried, but he won't let his face show whatever the hell he's feeling. 

His plays and blocks aren't exactly bad, but Yamaguchi could sense that Tsukishima was thinking of something other than the volleyball practice. He approached his friend who was resting on the floor, his long arms covering his curled up legs. 

"Tsukki, what's with that expression? Did you get a failing score in a quiz?" Yamaguchi started, in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere. 

The blonde's eyes darted to him, "Like hell, I'm going to let that happen. What do you want?"

He shrugged, "Nothing, I just noticed that you were a little quieter and more passive today. Normally, you would've chewed the first years out with their simple blocking errors, but you didn't say a thing. You're scarier in their eyes when you're silent."

"I was tired. I'll only waste my voice pointing out something I did a million times." A sigh escaped his lips 

"Right..." Yamaguchi paused, "So, I assume you have heard?"

"Heard of what?"

"That (Y/N) is missing."

"Oh," A frown fell on his features. It wasn't his usual frown. People who really know him would notice that his eyes are full of worry. 

He sat beside Tsukishima before he spoke again. "I know you have ideas on places (Y/N) could've gone to."

"I do not know what you're talking about."

The latter chuckled, "Oh, humor me, Tsukki. If you're that worried, I can excuse you for today's practice. No problem."

"Does that mean that you aren't concerned?"

"I am concerned. I want to look for her as well, but I have to whip the other players into shape. I'm sorry if I couldn't accompany you right away."

Tsukishima stood up and sighed again, "You will excuse me, you said?"

"Yeah."

There were silence and the background noise of balls and shoes colliding on the floor. He wiped the sweat off his face before replying, "I'll be leaving the gym in a few minutes."

He changed his clothes and packed his things up, causing the team to exchange glances.

"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called, throwing his friend's large jacket to him, which the other caught. "Take care! I hope you find (Y/N) and get her home safe."

"I wish. Then, I'll leave it to you, Captain."

The green-haired middle blocker's eyes teared up and sparkled as he beamed a smile back, "I got it!"

Tsukishima started to look for (Y/N) at the places she liked to go to; the art store, the Central Park, the kid's playground, the museum, and the prefectural library. But there was no sign of her anywhere. He looked at the nearby places to no avail. He walked on while dialing her number, but her phone is out of coverage area. He spent 3 more hours finding the girl and soon received a message from Yamaguchi, telling him that (Y/N) hasn't been found yet and that he joined the authorities to help them find her. 

He walked back to the direction of his home, panting softly. He had failed to find (Y/N), yet his brain won't stop thinking about her possible whereabouts. The cool breeze of winter hit Tsukishima's face and shivered at the contact. He had hoped again that she is inside of an establishment, safe from such cold weather.

Tsukishima's home has its lights out. Her mother was invited into her colleagues' reunion as said in her text, and both his father and brother are busy at work. He reached for his key in his pocket and was opening the door, not until he heard a loud sob from somewhere. Tsukishima looked around the place as the sobbing continued. He searched for the source and ended up in their backyard. He caught the sight of a small figure behind the bushes and went closer to confirm.

It was a cat. It had scurried away once he got close to it. Oh, how stupid he is to get his hopes up only to find a scared animal. But he was certain he heard a sob somewhere near. And cats aren't capable of making a sound like that. Or maybe he was only hearing things?

He dragged his feet to the main door to unlock it, but this time, there was a loud noise of scrubbing on the roof. What is it this time? He moved back and looked upon where it came from. 

To his surprise, it wasn't another cat but a person. Their legs were curled up, arms covered around them, with their chin on their knees. Tsukishima turned on his phone's flashlight and there she was. 

It was (Y/N). Her shoulders shook, either from the cold or trying her best not to cry out loud. 

"H-Help me."

He stared at the girl, confused and fighting back laughter because of how scared (Y/N) looked. "How the heck did you get in there?"

"I climbed that tree and jumped off to break in and hide in your room. Turned out that the windows are locked. I don't know how to jump back and I-I was too high from the ground. You know I'm scared of heights! Why did you lock the window?! Stupid!"

"Of course, I would lock the window for the security. And wow, aren't you the stupid one for knowing how to climb and jump up to my window and not knowing how to get down? Why did you climb if you are scared of heights? Such an idiot."

"Fine, fine. I am an idiot. Now, can you help me get off this roof?"

He crossed his arms and smirked, "No."

"Ugh! Please, Kei. I've been trapped here for hours. I am begging you to help me get down. Please?"

He sighed in defeat and raised his arms. "Here. Jump."

For seconds, (Y/N) didn't respond as she was having second thoughts about jumping.

"What? Do you expect me to get a ladder? I'm sorry, but it's in the basement, broken." He said in a mocking tone. "Don't you want to come down?"

"Can you catch me properly? Are your arms stable? Won't you fall on your ass?" (Y/N) interrogated.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, "Alright, stay there and freeze to death."

"No, wait! I was just asking! Come back! Don't leave meeee!"

The blonde looked up to her and raised his arms again, "Don't think. Trust me, I will catch you properly and you won't crash to the ground. You weigh like nothing anyway."

"Are you talking about yourself?" She retorted, pertaining to his weight.

"Can you please just jump?"

(Y/N) inhaled and went to the edge of the roof. It was a scary view for her, just looking down makes her dizzy, and want to throw up.  She thought he would have the largest frown on his face because of how irritatingly slow she was, but there was Tsukishima waiting for her with the calmest expression. She smiled a little.

"Here I go..."

She took off, closing her eyes, and swallowing her fears. The gravity pulled her feet down shortly after, and Tsukishima readied himself for the impact as he reached her waist. He held on to her lower torso while (Y/N) placed her arms around his shoulders tightly and legs on his waist. The athlete's balance slightly went off, so he took a step back to support both their weights. It was now steady. 

"I'm surprised you didn't lose your balance. Where's the weak boned beanpole 3 years ago?"

"I did for a second."

"Doesn't matter. You caught me. Thank you."

They had stayed in that way for a moment until Tsukishima spoke, "Do you plan to get off?"

"No. I'm tired."

"I am too." Yet she refused to let go.

He exhaled, carrying (Y/N) to the main entrance and finally unlocking the door. Her hoodie was cold and some parts are wet, but it didn't rain on that day. He took her in and placed her on the couch. Tsukishima went to his room, changed clothes, and brought a spare sweatshirt, handkerchief, and a towel. He went down but didn't find (Y/N) where he left her, so he walked to the kitchen counter and found the girl on the corner, shivering like a pup.

He tossed the clothing at her without further words. There was a note from her mom beside the curry in the table, saying she had eaten and she left rolls in the refrigerator. He was about to turn on the stove to reheat the food his mother left, but his eyes landed on (Y/N) who sat quietly, hugging the sweatshirt instead of wearing it. Her hair was disheveled, the sleeves and neck part of her hoodie was damp, her nose was red and her puffy, bloodshot eyes implied that she has been crying for who knows how long. He set the pan down to get her a glass of water. 

"Everyone was looking for you." Said Tsukishima.

"No one was really looking for me." (Y/N) replied, clearing her nose. 

"I didn't spend the last 3 hours tiring myself to scan the whole town for no reason." He sat beside her, handing the glass. "Care to spill the tea?"

(Y/N) drank first before speaking weakly, "I hate them. So much."

The male remained quiet, waiting for her to continue her dilemma.

"Remember when I told you and the class that I will be the most successful doctor in Japan after I finished my studies? It was a lie. It wasn't my dream to stay in a hospital and treat ill people, I only wanted to draw and paint. I didn't care if it never made them or anyone happy, I am happy doing it. And they are taking it away from me."

He knew from the start that her dream job as a doctor wasn't true. For years she stayed close to him as a friend or more, she won't blabber anything of the medical topic. She was terrified of syringes. He saw her reading an article about surgeries and like, but her focus was easily taken away.

She will get a pencil then start scribbling and drawing. Something that Tsukishima always sees her doing whenever she has a pen and paper, but she insists that it was a mere hobby. Her notebooks are well designed and organized, but the back is always full of artistic doodles instead of algebra solutions. She only has very few art materials yet she can make a portrait with only her fingers to shade. She makes digital art without a stylus. She would drag him to the museum after class to view some western and eastern paintings or any work of art while he admires the dinosaur fossils. For times she's watching an art tutorial and talk about art, draw and paint, she has those stupid sparkles in her eyes and a huge smile on her face. 

"You know Tsukishima, after I finish studying and became a doctor, I'll become an artist and if the time let's it, I'll open my own art gallery. That's my ultimate dream." She looked alive and delighted.

Very much the opposite of what she looks like right now. 

Even though she was a slave of art, as Tsukishima was a slave of his own interests, (Y/N) prioritized her studies so much. He understood why when he went to her house and met her parents before their study sessions. He had noticed everything but chose to stay quiet. 

"I-I was drawing last night. Dad entered my room but I didn't notice so he ripped the music away from my ears and yelled. He said that I would always lock myself in my room and draw every night. It was never-ending and irritates the shit out of him. He asked why would I do something so useless that isn't even connected to any academic subject. He was looking down on my art like he was looking at a piece of crap. He told me to stop and threatened me if I didn't. Why would I get punished for drawing? I couldn't get myself to stay silent so I retorted. If he doesn't want to see me drawing, then he shouldn't enter my room at all. He should stop meddling with my hobbies. His anger only went up."

(Y/N) stopped for a while to wipe her tears and snot with her sleeves but Tsukishima placed a handkerchief on her hands. She muttered her thanks and blew her nose and soon followed with a sneeze.

"Soon, it became a full-blown argument. He said that he was checking out if I was doing my projects, but oh he was so disappointed only to find his daughter drawing for nothing. What the heck? I gave them the best grades I could get, and part of it was because of you, Tsukishima, but they still aren't satisfied? I balanced drawing and academics, but they made it seem that all I was doing was my hobby, completely ignoring my efforts at school. I finished the school activities and I reviewed for midterms and all I want is to be left alone and draw. What, they want me to go crazy by studying every hour with things I won't even apply in real life?"

Her fake laughter echoed in the kitchen for seconds before her depressed tone took over again.

"Mom heard all the shouting and joined the argument. Of course, she sided with dad without listening to my feelings and there they ridiculed their youngest child's interests and talent. They told me that everything I do is bullshit and wrong, that I was useless, that I was the huge opposite of their expectations, and... and how come God gave them a joke. She said they raised me so that I could help them, not to do such useless things. It hurts to shout back but I did to explain why I'm so passionate about art in hopes that they will listen and understand but, I was so wrong. I was suddenly slapped..." She placed her hand to her left cheek, her lips quivered a little. 

"I-It stung so much. Mom complained about how the Internet generation is so rebellious and won't listen to the elders. They didn't raise and teach me to talk back at them, but here is their child being a bitch. They started comparing me to my elder siblings or relatives who focused on their studies and who are at the door of success. I know they only want me to achieve the best, but my success isn't up to them! It's on me!! And I've invested a lot for that! They shouted at me as mom pulled my hair. It was so loud I thought I was going deaf. Dad blamed the gadget's influence and my drawings. I have only drawn decent fanarts of fictional characters, people, and sceneries, but they believed that because of these, I turned into a mannerless bastard. So mom decided to get my phone and lessen my allowance so that I wouldn't buy any art materials that are a waste of fortune--"

She bit her lower lip that is trembling uncontrollably and her eyesight blurred as her fat tears got in the way.

"and... D-Dad... he... he... he tore m-my sketch pad apart..."

Tsukishima's eyes widened. (Y/N) brought that thing with her almost everywhere she went and it was filled with good drawings and art plans. She has a lot of them though, but Tsukishima could only imagine how she felt when her efforts were trampled over by someone important to her. 

(Y/N) broke down, bawled her eyes out, and shrieked hysterically. He looked at her with a heavy heart. He had seen her crying sometimes, be it because of a sad movie or empathy, but never like this. A depressed, emotional wreck. Her eyes were sore enough after a lot of hours, but she won't stop crying. It was heartbreaking to see and hear his significant other in this state, yet Tsukishima didn't know what is the right thing to say. 

But maybe there was no need to say anything at all.

Kei wrapped his arms around her weeping figure and pulled her towards him. Cry it out, pipsqueak. (Y/N) didn't expect this action, nonetheless cried in his shoulder He didn't care anymore if this meant he gets his clothes drenched in her snot and tears as long as she felt a little less lonely. He rubbed her back and hair in an attempt to comfort his lover. (Y/N)'s airways hurt, but she screamed the pain out, in hopes that the pain in her heart would vanish. Her weeping went on for long minutes until she choked in her own sobs that Tsukishima had to get her another glass of water.

"Tell me, Kei." She began, wiping her eyes, "Is there... something wrong with me? Is my dream really that insignificant?"

"There's nothing wrong with you. You followed your ideals. Anyone including me would've done the same." He answered beside her.

"I-It's realistic, right?"

"It is."

"Then... why did it turn out like this?" Her voice was cracking.

Tsukishima looked down, "The society is just very cruel."

"Yeah. It sure is. Such a cruel society to live with." 

(Y/N) let out a dejected sigh and leaned on Tsukki's shoulder. "I couldn't look at them without such overwhelming fear and hate anymore. I wonder if... they knew that I was doing this for them. I'd like to make them smile with something I've made myself. Once, I made each of them a portrait. A realistic one made from a pencil. I couldn't afford a material set that can be used to paint realistically, but I tried my best to impress them with a charcoal one. Oh, if only you saw their faces when I gave them the portraits. They returned a half-hearted smile. It wasn't the same kind of joy I see whenever I give them perfect scores on tests. I didn't spend 3 sleepless nights just to see their half happy, half unpleased reaction. I wish they could feel more proud of their daughter who worked hard for them... I wonder if they threw it away as he did on my sketch pad..." 

They let silence engulf the atmosphere for a while. (Y/N) had calmed down a little, despite shedding smaller tears from the side of her eyes. Tsukishima held the sweatshirt he gave her earlier to make her wear it on the top of her hoodie to lessen her shivering. He stared at her, while the other gazed down on the floor with dead eyes.

Tsukishima asked, "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What am I going to do now huh..." (Y/N) repeated. "I'll probably... put everything to an end."

"You know I won't let you."

"I'm not talking about my life, silly. I might stop drawing and all. I've lost it."

"Isn't your life and drawing one and the same? And I'm pretty sure you have that immense talent to continue."

"No... Besides, talent isn't a talent if it doesn't make anyone happy."

The blonde mentally scoffed. She just said that it makes her happy in the beginning.

"Oh? Fine, stop doing that one thing you put everything into. What would that girl you received a commission from would feel if she were to hear you though?"

(Y/N) was stunned. She had completely forgotten about the whole commission thing she opened in her social media accounts. Tsukishima accompanied (Y/N) on giving the commissioned charcoal portrait to a girl last 3 weeks ago. It was (Y/N)'s first commission for years she's making art. Someone liked her work for the first time and paid for it, and her client looks very contented and glad. The words she said filled her thoughts with inspiration.

"Wow, this is awesome! I'm so happy!! Thank you for making this, it was exactly what I've pictured on my mind! You're amazing! All the excitement I've bottled up for this day is so worth it," The girl, probably a little older than them paused and admired the painting she received from (Y/N).

"Would you ignore those words she said?"

 'Please don't stop drawing, I'll be looking forward to your future works!' 

A pang of guilt hit her chest. She wants to pursue art, but there are these shackles and chains on her limbs and around her neck that made it hard for her to move forward. She couldn't breathe. What happened yesterday night was too much. Her parents went overboard. 

"B-But—"

A monotone voice interrupted her, "Don't. Never stop striving for something you have been building for years. You might be defeated now, but surely, you will win some time. There's no way you'll stay in the lowest level of the ladder after I saw how hard you worked. You will go to nationals again, and I will continue to support you. I'll cheer for you and stay by your side! So please, do not stop! Let me see those beautiful blocks that you execute in the game once more! And I will watch you reach the top! Doesn't matter how many times, I'll never get weary of watching you do amazing things!"

She was silenced by that statement. She had definitely heard those before, but couldn't quite remember where. 

"Does the sentiment seem familiar to you? Those are the same words that came from your mouth when I was planning to quit volleyball after our huge loss to Date Tech last year. I am returning them back to you."

"Huh?" She replied with a meek voice.

"That time, you really did a good job meddling with my decisions. It annoyed me first, but what you had stated held a weight that I couldn't disregard. You gave me the small push I didn't know I needed. In the end, I'd like to pay you back." Tsukishima stated with a far away look in his eyes.

(Y/N) listened with watery eyes. This Tsukishima's side isn't definitely the one she gets to see every day so she couldn't feel anything but the warm, fuzzy feeling that is healing her heart. 

"It's probably selfish for me to say this but, don't you dare give up. I didn't stop. No matter how long and hard the game is, no matter how tired and discouraged I get, and no matter how many pessimistic thoughts clouded my head, I didn't stop chasing after a falling ball and thinking of another tactic to counter the enemy. I kept your words with me in court. It was you who told me not to in the first place, and I'm not going to forgive you if you ever dropped everything. I won't let the stupid, starry-eyed (Y/N) die today."

The girl beside her started sobbing. "But you told me once that my drawing are ugly."

"Oh. That. I... kind of remember that. I'm not sorry about what I said because I did it to provoke and rile you up. It was a lie though. As someone who always sees you drawing, I can't call your work ugly at all. Your art is... astounding. You make it look like it's so easy to do. I think you forgot next sentence after I told you that."

"What was the sentence after?"

Tsukishima sighed, "I told you to keep doing it, right?"

The sound of (Y/N) crying engulfed the kitchen, "Oh gosh, why did I forget that... I'm sorry, I'm so idiotic..."

The blonde brought her back to his arms, "Will you stop crying, you've been too hard on yourself today,"

(Y/N) hid her face on his chest, muffling her speech, "c-couldn't help it... my mind is such a mess... I do not know..." She paused, coughing. "It's no use if m-my parents don't acknowledge me..."

"Hundreds, or perhaps thousands of people who follow you on social media account recognize you. People in school recognizes you. I recognize you. I am your ally. Isn't that enough reason for you to get back on your feet? I will support you just like how you supported me. You have a lot of people who admire you, but I only have a few people and you. Yet your words are enough. I'm certain that soon, you will reach your parents' standards and get them to acknowledge you. It's not impossible."

(Y/N) fixed her tear-stained face before looking up to him, "You know what? Who are you? Is a good spirit possessing your body? The Kei I know will either stay quiet or laugh at me for being pathetic."

"I was trying to be nice for once and this is what I get?" He frowned.

(Y/N) chuckled and hugged Tsukishima, "I'm sorry. Everything you said meant the world to me. Thank you very much."

She relaxed against his lean body, "I have a question though..."

"What?"

"You literally had no business in my art, it was my own problem. Why are you doing this?"

"Why don't you ask yourself after you argued with me that night? Why did you have to butt in with my choices?"

"Because you like volleyball! You might look like that someone stole your dinosaur collection when you're at practice, but you're good at it and have a future in it! It is a part of you, and you're deciding to throw it away? Your potential is too big to be wasted and I refuse to let that happen." Her voice is a little louder now, but hoarse.

"There's your answer, little gremlin."

"How is that— Oh."

"But I'd like to add something."

"What is it?"

"You look better doing what you really like. It makes you look less like a hag."

It was silent after that. (Y/N) punched his arm. Tsukishima didn't even wince but asked, "What was that for?"

"The last statement was unnecessary, and the first one is sweet yet cringey." She criticized. 

"C'mon, I'm just a teenager. Aren't you the cringey one most of the times?"

She used the handkerchief to sniffle her runny nose away, "Why do you have a knack of returning everything I said to me?"

"I won't do it if it's not appropriate." Tsukishima placed his hands on her back and to her hair, "So, what are you going to do now, (Y/N)?"

"I'll think things through. My brain is still slightly messy, but I'll be fine, thanks to you. But Kei..."

He hummed as a response. "I don't want to go home. I want to run away."

"Not possible. You can't survive on your own. You're almost 18 and until now, you don't understand how a washing machine works with all your perfect scores in exams."

"This is just a thought. I didn't say I'll be alone. I'm taking you with me."

"I refuse."

"Why?"

"Couldn't you wait for more months until we graduate?"

(Y/N)'s eyebrows raised, "So basically, you're agreeing, but not this time?"

"No, but you'll be free of your parents' suffocating control. Who knows how huge is your potential by that time."

"How considerate of you." The girl smiled.

"Only this time. And no, we won't live in the same place in college. Not yet. Not until we finish our studies, have secured jobs, and get important things done." 

"Will you be playing volleyball at college?"

He lazily replied, "Probably."

"Don't give me such an ambiguous answer!"

"Probably yes." 

"Hmm. Fine by me. I'll continue to draw, then." (Y/N) rested her head near Tsukishima's neck. 

He smiled a little at her answer, "Another thing though. I don't think... you should leave things with your parents like that. There'll be a time where you have to face it."

"Yes, that sucks... I don't want to think about it but I'll have to go back eventually... When that confrontation happens, I'll try to calmly talk it out with them. I will never be certain if it will end well. But my hate and fear of them won't change."

"You can always run back here if it didn't end well."

"Kei, don't want to see their faces just yet. Can I stay here for a while?"

"You even bother to ask. You are welcome anytime in this household. Just enter the house in the front door, not in my window."

"Right... thank you."

"Oh, now it's my turn to ask. How did you get in there?"

(Y/N) sighed, "It was on 4:30pm. I was on the loose and I looked for a store where anyone can't recognize me so I can eat for lunch. But there's this creep who kept on following me—"

"Did he hurt you?" He abruptly questioned.

"No. I ran as fast as I could before he could even get close to me, but in the next block, there were the town authorities with my mom, and I knew they were looking for me, so I blended into the people with my hoodie on and made my way. I climbed the tree in panic that they'll find me and hid there. It took me hours to notice that your house is just next to it, so I decided to climb to your window. However, the window was locked, and I was stuck."

Tsukishima sighed in relief. "It was a miracle that a klutz like you didn't fell off the tree and surprisingly, no one found you."

"I was high in adrenaline when I climbed the tree. My blending and hiding skills are in ninja-tier now, I beat you."

"Whatever. What did you have for breakfast?"

"...a melon bread."

"Just that?"

"Just that." 

Tsukishima kissed her forehead before lifting her up with him. "Go change. Borrow any of my clothes. I'll reheat the food."

(Y/N) kissed his cheek, slowly got off him and went upstairs. Tsukishima opened his phone to text Yamaguchi about her situation and proceeded to reheat the spicy curry. 

"Wait, Kei! Is it okay for me to eat?" She shouted from upstairs.

"What kind of question is that? Of course you can." He shouted back.

"Your mom left that for you, for your dad and for your brother. I'd feel bad."

"My brother and dad will come home late and I'm sure they've eaten already. So is mom."

"Are you sure? I can replace the food." She said while going down the stairs.

"Oh, you can cook? I'm afraid you'll burn the whole kitchen." He mocked.

"At least not the whole house." (Y/N) laughed, "Just kidding, I have a tiny knowledge in cooking."

"You don't have to, I told you they already ate. I'll bring out the sushi mom made if you still want to eat."

"Alright. Thank you for the food."

Few hours later, Tsukishima's mom came home and took off her shoes. "I'm home."

As she was about to enter the living room, Akiteru greeted her and placed his finger in front of his lips, indicating her to keep quiet. She wondered what was going on and saw her youngest son and his girlfriend leaning on his shoulder, asleep on the couch in front of the TV. He signaled her to read the note Kei left on the table. 

To mom, dad, and brother,

Earlier in the morning, (Y/N) went missing and her parents and town authorities were looking for her. I found her on the way home, but it turns out that she ran away from her home because of an intense argument between her parents, and doesn't want to be found yet. Please let her stay here for a while. I'll do most of the household chores or any favor you ask me in return. 

Mom, I shared the curry and sushi rolls with her. I left for some for dad and brother. (Y/N) said it was very delicious. 

Love, 

Kei.

She smiled after reading the note and looked at the sleeping kids. She took notice of (Y/N)'s eyes and quickly understood the situation. Before she left to rest in her room, she looked for a spare blanket and laid it atop them to keep them warm. 

(Y/N) snuggled further to Tsukishima's arms, satisfied on how this night will end well, unlike yesterday's.

©4aloysius.porteu.2021. please do not repost, copy, or edit. plagiarism is punishable by law.

[eternalmx]

error. | im changkyun. (pt. 1)

☁️a/n: for @kyunsies;; because she said if I wrote it she will cry so I'm waiting for the tears. sksksk jk but I hope you enjoy it angel. ily♡ also;; highly recommend listen to so beautiful by dpr Ian while reading okay? definitely takes it to the next level. I'm bringing back eyebrow piercing kyun for this jdjdjd. I had to it was only right to do so.

✒ summary : Be honest. He's every father's worst nightmare. Black hair, tattoos, dresses in all black, rides a motorcycle. But is he really the stereotypical bad boy? Or he's just got a soft spot for this one girl?

warnings : none.

wc | 1,017

9:15𝓹𝓶 • "C'mon babe! It'll be fun" he says through the phone.

"Kyun... I don't think that's a good idea. If I get caught sneaking out I'll be in so much trouble not to mention my father already hates you. It won't do us any good" she says, fighting the urge to sneak out with him.

"I won't force you if you don't want to but I promise you it'll be worth it. You'll love what I have plan" he said, you can practically see the pout on his face as you heard him whine through the phone.

"How fast can you be here?" she sighed, pushing herself off the bed and going to her closet to get changed.

"I knew you couldn't resist me! I'll be there in twenty, be ready okay?" he said, quickly hanging up. The weather wasn't the best a bit foggy as it's been raining all the. The street lights reflecting on the water puddles in the street. She made her way around the house, careful not to make any noise. She packed a bag with some water bottles and snacks just in case they went far. After she went back t wait in her room she heard tapping at the window only to find Kyun smiling at her. His long black hair slicked back slightly, most likely from he remainder or rain. His leather jacket suiting his attire well. The small lamp in you room illuminating his features and his eyebrow piercing.

"Hey, you put it back in" she said softly, hand moving over the cold metal.

"I thought I'd pop in back in for a change and I kind of missed it" he said, smiling.

"You know I could walk out the front door right?" she said, realizing the path he decided to take to get to her. He was sitting comfortably on the little raised roof by her window.

"But where would the fun be? This is more romantic and mysterious. We look like troubled teens" he said, making her laugh. She clicked off the lamp and he helped her out onto the awning.

"Be careful pls, it's slippery" he said, as soon as you foot slipped slightly making him grab you roughly and pull you against him.

"We haven't even left and I already almost died. Maybe my dad's onto something?" she said, giggling softly and holding his hand tightly.

"Not funny. Here give me your backpack" he says, helping her remove it. "What's in here anyways?" he asked, as they walk slowly towards the end of the awning.

"Snacks and juice boxes and water" she said, she was serious in the statement but when he heard her say juice boxes he lost it.

"Shuuuuu! He'll hear us!" she said, turning to hit him softly. "It's not that funny" she whined, in a harsh whisper.

"It is. Be honest, were sneaking you out of your house and your dad hates me. we're gonna get on my motorcycle and then when we get to where were going we're going to drink juice boxes? That's a plot twist. I like it though. It's messing with my bad boy image I've got going for me but I'll let it slide because I love you" he whispered back, making her smile to herself. They finally reached the end of the awning when he stopped you as the light to her father's bedroom flickered on.

"We gotta go now" he whispered. Him going first down the wooden ladder. She rushed down almost missing a few steps but he was there to catch her if she fell. When she finally reached him he had his hands on her waist and spun her to face him.

"Well, are we just gonna stand here?" she asked, as he stares at her. He leaned in to kiss her but ended up pushing her against the house as the heard a window opening.

"Hello? Who's there?" her father yelled. The porch lights turning on as they both moved around the house. "You better get out of here!" he yelled.

Her eyes were wide and changkyun gave an apologetic smile to her. She grabbed his hand reassuringly as they waited for the lights to turn off after they heard the window shut closed.

"Are you cold?" he asked, taking off his leather jacket.

"A little, I was busy packing the snack I forgot to grab a sweater" she said, rubbing her hands over her arms as he placed his jacket around her.

"Better?" he asked, pushing his hair back.

"Much better." she said, nodding her head and doing a little happy dance.

"You just wanted the jacket didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes and no. I actually am cold but the jacket is a bonus. It was a test. You passed. Now I'll sneak out with you. I know you'll take care of me if it all goes wrong" she said, smiling and grabbing his hand. They began running down the street to his parked motorcycle.

"Thanks for trusting me." he said, as they reached his bike.

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, placing the extra helmet on before standing in front of him.

"I don't know. I'm sure it's not easy. Especially because your father already has his mind made up about me" he says, leaning against his bike.

"Babe, what he thinks matters to me. Of course it does, but you aren't what he has his mind made up about. I know you more than what's on the outside and soon he'll come around but don't thank me. I should be thanking you if anything. It's Friday night and i was gonna be couped up studying but instead here I am. With my handsome boyfriend about to go to an undisclosed location with snacks and juice boxes. This is the high life" she said, giggling softly. She got on the bike and wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you" he said, before starting to rev the engine.

"I love you more babe" she said, kissing his cheek.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" she said, squeezing tightly against him as he pulled out the spot.

[httpswwwtbhkcom]

The Next Day

[Oneshot/Imagine]

Pairing: Nagito Komaeda x Reader

[@httpswwwtbhkcom’s masterlist]

Summary: The day after you visited Komaeda, you felt a bit weak but you still managed to go to school and visit Komaeda once again.

Warning: Grammar errors, swearing,

Genre: Fluff,

Keys:

Y/n- your name, L/n- last name, F/f- favorite food,

A/n: I’m so sorry for not posting in over a month! (Except the bnha incorrect quote I just posted few days ago.) I just don’t have much motivation to write lately and I’ve also been stressed with school works.

Reader: Neutral

Click here to see the other part(s) - Part 1 - Part 2 (Here) - Part 3

Made by: ??? (Please tell me who owns the art so I could credit them!)

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

“Achoo!” You sneezed. “Are you okay, Y/n? Do you need to go to the nurse?” Yukizome asked, worriedly. You panicked and told her you’re fine and that you didn’t need to go to the nurse. “It’s just a bit chilly here... No worries... Haha...” The others gave you skeptical looks but shrugged it off nevertheless.

“Okay... But if you’re sick just tell me so you could take a rest ‘kay?” You nodded, quickly covering your mouth when you almost sneezed again. ‘This is going to be a long day..’ You sighed to yourself.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

It was finally break. You took your water bottle and took a gulp of water, since you were thirsty. “Woah, calm down! You’re going to choke if you continue doing that!” Mahiru exclaimed. You obliged and separated your lip to the bottle, making a small ‘pop’ noise and a small gasp from you.

“Sorry, I’m just thirsty. That’s all.” You let out an awkward laugh as you looked away from her in embarrassment. She placed her hands on her hips, making a small frown. “You visited Komaeda didn’t you? That’s why you’re sick.” You looked at her then nodded “I’m not sick though.” You murmured, but she didn’t hear it. She groaned. “Ugh, I should’ve told you to stay away from him for the time being instead.. He’s ill.”

“Well... I did help his fever go down a bit. I’ll visit him later today.” You said, letting out a small sneeze again. “Sorry...”

She sighed. “You’re going to get sick, Y/n. How about you visit him tomorrow instead? He’ll probably feel better.” You shook your head. Mahiru frowned at your response. “I agree. We can’t risk having another sick classmate...” Peko suddenly chimed in. “Peko?” You shrieked, jumping a little from your seat. “Ah sorry to surprise you. I just couldn’t help but listen to the conversation you both were having.” She admitted, bowing.

She regained her posture and looked at you. “I’m sure Nagito is fine. He has butlers and maids taking care of him. You can just talk to him in the phone if you’d like.” Peko suggested.

“That isn’t enough though...” You murmured, looking down at your desk. Then looking back at them with hope. “But don’t worry about me! I’ll be fine. I’m practically immune to sickness!” You exclaimed like a child. You heard Fuyuhiko scoff. “As if.” He murmured loud enough for you to hear. How many people are listening to your conversation?

“We’re worried about you! I mean- I guess we’re worried about him too.. I think... But I think he’s fine! As Mahiru said, You could visit him tomorrow!” Kazuichi exclaimed. You (and Mahiru) gave him a deadpanned look. ‘What the- how many people are listening to the conversation?!’ You screamed internally, visibly confused.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

This time, you went home and changed instead of going to Komaeda’s house first. You changed your clothes to something comfortable and ate a snack. You while you ate your snack, you went to messages and messaged Komaeda.

3:42PM ~Today~

You: Hey Nagito! You online?

Komaeda immediately answered as soon you hit send.

3:42PM ~Today~

Nagito: Yea! Is school done already?

You: Yep, How are you? Feeling better?

Nagito: Well.. I’m less sick than yesterday. Thank you for taking care of me yesterday.

You: No problem! I’ll be going there later, is that alright?

You patiently waited for Komaeda’s response. ‘He’s taking a lot of time..’ You mumbled, a bit impatient.

3:43PM ~Today~

Nagito: Are you sure? I’m still sick. I’m sure you have some symptoms too... If you are getting sick, I’d advise you to go stay at your home. You might collapse.

You: I’m fine Nagito! I’m not sick. I’m immune to sickness! Don’t worry! Now can I pleeasee go there?

Nagito: Hmm... Fine, I’ll tell my butler your coming alright? See you later!

You: Yay! See you later!

3:46PM ~Today~

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Komaeda’s POV:

He chuckled at your childish behavior. He was worried that you might get sick, but he didn’t want to decline and make you sad. He kinda admits that he misses you. Komaeda called his butler and informed him that you were coming here again.

The butler nodded then left with the same expression. He looked outside the window, gazing at the view he had from his room as he impatiently waits for you.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Your POV:

You immediately ate the last bits of your snack and cleaned your place. You changed your clothes again and took your phone with you before going out. You went outside and locked the door then sprinting to Komaeda’s house. In the middle of running to his house, you tripped on nothing. You let out a small ‘oof’ as you regained your posture and continuing to run.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

3 minutes later, you’re finally in front of Komaeda’s home. Ringing the doorbell, the butler who you saw yesterday greeted you once again. “Good to see you again Madam/Sir L/n. Master expected you to come today.” The butler let you in the house.

“Good to see you too. Is Nagito feeling better today?” You asked, your eyes on the floor in front of you. “Yes, apparently minutes after you left, his fever went down a little.” The butler answered. You covered your mouth and let out a small sneeze. You froze in embarrassment. The butler heard you sneeze and looked at you concerned.

“Are you okay Madam/Sir L/n? Oh my, did you get sick?” The butler asked, slowly walking towards you. You raised a hand, making him come to a halt. “I- I’m f-ine. I’m fine... Just a small sneeze, It’s nothing.. It’s nothing...!” The butler gave you a skeptical look but nodded.

Once you both were in front of Komaeda’s room, the butler opened the door for you. You went in the room and thanked him. The butler nodded then closed the door soon after. You were immediately greeted by Komaeda smiling at you.

“Your finally here! How are you, Y/n? Are you still healthy?”

“I was supposed to say that, But I’m fine. How are you feeling?”

“I’m getting better. Still sick, but it’s better than yesterday..” You sat down on the edge of his bed and looked at him. He looked back at you, giving a small smile. You both stared at each other for a few seconds before you broke it with a groan.

“This is boring! I have no idea what to do today!”

“I’m sorry if I bore you this much I-”

“This isn’t about you Nagito!” You assured. “Are you sure?-” “Yes!” You quickly answered. “It’s just so boring today! What do you want to do?” You asked him. He looked down and began to think of what to do. “Hm. Wanna play the video game you like? We haven’t played it for a while now. I still have it somewhere here.”

“Yes please!” You stood up. “So..! Where is it?!” You looked around. Komaeda pointed to a cabinet and said “It’s somewhere there. The top one maybe?” You nodded and went to the cabinet in excitement. You opened the cabinet and began checking the places.

After a while, you finally found it. “Here it is!” You exclaimed, showing it to Komaeda. He giggled as he watched you set the game. After you finished setting the game, you took two controllers and gave one to Komaeda.

“You want me to play with you?”

“Of course!”

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

In the middle of playing, you suddenly let out a sneeze. You immediately covered your mouth as Komaeda’s eyes snapped from the tv to you. “Are you sick?” He asked sternly. You didn’t respond. You only looked away in embarrassment. “Are. You. Sick?” He asked once again, his tone serious with a mix of concern. “I’m fine.” You finally answered. “Just a small sneeze, that’s all. No need to worry Nagito.” You lightly hit his arm in a joking manner.

You looked at the game and continued playing. “Just, forget that okay? I’m fine no worries. Let’s just continue playing.” Komaeda sighed and played the game once more, glancing at you every now and then in worry.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

After a few hours, you both finally finished playing. You turned off the game and placed the game and controllers back to where you found it despite Komaeda told you he can do it himself.

“Come on Y/n, I’m not that sick anymore. Let me just do this for you for everything you’ve done since yesterday!” Komaeda insisted a bit too late, since you already finished. “Too late, Nagito. Next time maybe.”

He pouted at you but nodded. “Are you hungry?” Komaeda asked you, feeling hungry himself. “Kinda, Yea..” You nodded, your stomach grumbled soon after you answered. “I’ll ask them to make us food. What do you want to eat?”

“I’ll take f/f, if that’s fine.”

He hummed and called his maids to bring him food you both wanted. The maids nodded and bowed then left, making the food.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

You both were on his desk eating (since he insisted it, he didn’t want the bed to be messy, and you to be uncomfortable.). “So..” You grumbled, chewing your food. “I have to leave soon, How was this day for you? Fun? Boring?” You asked, taking a bite of your food after. You stared at him as you wait for his answer.

“It was fun. Anywhere with you is fun.” He said, murmuring the last part. Half hoping you had heard it. Sadly, you didn’t. Your current emotion was still the same like seconds ago. He faintly frowned at the indifference but pushed the feeling down.

“I’m glad!” You exclaimed.

Silence quickly took over the room and tension slowly rises. You swore you could hear your heart beating in a fast pace.

...

“Uhm, so....”

“Uhuh?...”

Nervous, you looked at the clock and your eyes widened. “It’s getting late!” You immediately stood up, Komaeda tried to grab your arm to slow you down. But it was too late since you ran to the door and left.

He lowered his hand, staring at the door. Komaeda heard footsteps and saw you. “Almost forgot, Bye!” Then you left again. He sighed, not daring to chase you. Until he saw your phone on his bed.

“But your phone?..” He mumbled as he saw you wave and run to your home. He was going to shout for you to stop but he was too late. The window he was supposed to open was slammed shut and he had problems opening it by his own. ‘I’ll call someone to repair this tomorrow..’ Komaeda thought.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

You ran to your home, panting. ‘Gosh, I should exercise more often.’ You thought, opening the door to your house and entering it. You went to your couch and sat there for a few minutes, feeling that you have forgetting something. “Eh.” You shrugged. “It’s probably nothing.” You said as you tried to find your phone.

“Oh no... Ugh damn it...” You groaned as you finally noticed that your phone was gone. “It’s too late.. I’ll just go to Nagito’s tomorrow...” You added as you went to another room.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Komaeda’s POV:

He stared at his hand that have your phone. He called one of his butlers/maids to his room. Not long after, a knock was heard then the door opened showing a butler/maid. “Please call Y/n’s house and tell them that their phone’s here with me.” Komaeda ordered. The butler/maid bowed in respect then left.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Your POV:

You were taking a shower, oblivious that someone was trying to call you. You were too distracted on the sound of the water dropping to the floor, calming you down.

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Komaeda’s POV:

The butler/maid didn’t got a response when they tried to call you for the fourth time. They sighed, walking to Komaeda’s room and telling him that you didn’t answer. “Ah I see.... I’ll just give this to Y/n tomorrow. They’ll visit me if I stay here a bit longer, or I’ll just give them to school tomorrow since I’m fine now right?”

☽✧ ✦ ✧☾

Your POV:

After showering, you felt sick. You were on your living room floor coughing. You felt dizzy. “Augh, I didn’t know that I’m actually sick..” You mumbled. You tried to get up with something near you and slowly went to the kitchen to grab a snack and a glass of water. You drank the water in one gulp and refilled the water for later. Then you went to your room, laying on your bed.

‘I hope I could go to school tomorrow.. Being sick sucks when it’s at it’s worst..’ You said to yourself before drifting to sleep.

[words-etched-in-her-skin]

Part 2 of my ‘House Dimitrescu’ series on Ao3. I am currently working on Part 3 (Alcina body worship), and will post that here when I finish 😏

Every candle in Castle Dimitrescu was lit in preparation. Alcina’s large frame silhouetted against the low lighting of the room like the masterpiece that she was. The brim of her hat tipping slightly forward as she gave you a small nod. You look quite delicious tonight, my pet.. she had told you. Her words still swimming freshly through your mind - the look on her face as you stepped out into the hallway in your new outfit - and you swore, for just a moment, that you saw her sinful tongue skating it’s way deliciously across her bottom lip. Suns dissolving to slivers as her pupils dilated - devouring you where you stood.

“Tonight is a very important night for my daughter’s and I.” The smooth tones of Alcina’s voice ricocheted off the high ceilings of the castle as she moved elegantly throughout the room. “It has been such a long time since we’ve…”

Each word becoming more muffled as your thoughts began to wander. You knew you should’ve been listening - waiting for her queue - but all you could think about was the night ahead of you. The fresh memory of her shadow completely enveloping you - cornered in the hallway - warm breath skating across the top half of your body as she leaned in to whisper. The three words that dripped from her tongue in the most delicious of ways, making you wet... Tonight, you’re mine. It wasn’t the first time you had been invited back to her room, but it was the first time she had ever proclaimed it in such a way. Mine.

“Psst… Heyyy… Hey, sweets.. You’re up.”

Your eyes shot up, locking onto Daniela’s as she gave you a wink. Fuck, has Alcina already said my name? You took a look around, everyone in the room was completely still - Alcina’s eyes slightly amused as if she was fully aware of what had you so distracted. Yeah, totally wasn’t completely lost in the gay thought of you or anything. Internally rolling your eyes, you rose from your seat. The faded plush carpet still soft beneath your feet as you made your way down the length of the room. Rows of candlelight illuminating your every step. Alcina’s eyes boring into you - the tiniest smirk painted upon her perfect lips as she turned to face you - finishing her speech as she did. The sweet musk of her pheromones rolling over you in waves as she leaned down, pinning a flower much like her own to the lapel of your vest.

“Welcome home, my pet.” She whispered, making you shudder. “I’ll be back in my chambers in exactly ten minutes. It’d do you well to make quick work of your thank yous. I do not like to be kept waiting.”

You swallowed hard as she pulled away, silken cream accentuating her curves as she made her way back to the corridor - your brain glitching with each delicious sway of her hips. You wasted no time in making your way back through the room, only stopping to say a quick goodnight to the girls - each of them with a knowing look on their face. A fierce blush quickly moving in as Daniela gave you her own version of a thumbs up. Yeah, that thumb definitely isn’t hers. You moved through the long corridors of the castle as swiftly as possible - anticipation rolling over you like a fever dream. Every cell in your body alive - charged - eager to be completely overwhelmed by her presence. You rapped your fingers lightly against the thick wood of her bedroom door, only entering once you heard her answer - knowing there would be severe punishment if you didn’t - the lashes on your backside still fresh from the last time.

“Salutations, my pet.”

There was no amount of warning that would have sufficiently prepared you for the view you walked into. The body sprawled across the length of her bed - eyes glowing timbers as you made your way further into the room. The delicious landscape of her thighs ever so prevalent - damn near shimmering in the moonlight that danced it’s way through her bedroom window. Fuck, she’s a literal work of art.

“Good evening, my lady.” You replied, doing your best to sound composed.

She chuckled, giving you a wry smirk. “You seemed quite distracted during the ceremony, my pet. Care to tell me why?”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry I missed my queue, my lady. It won’t happen again.”

“That is not what I asked, my pet. Don’t make me ask again.”

You swallowed hard, watching every muscle in her body flex slightly as she slowly shifted herself up from her spot on the bed, rising. The fine lace of her nightgown clinging deliciously to every supple curve. Her large frame - imposing - looming over you as you tried to find the proper words. She knew she was only making it harder for you to think, and she reveled in it. Her eyes growing darker while you fumbled to reply.

“I… well, I’m.. It’s just.. Fuck… you are quite distracting, my lady.”

“Oh, I’m aware, dear.” She chuckled. “Though, I will need you to do a better job at listening from now on. I will not be embarrassed in front of my family again. Next time, I may not be so … understanding. Are we clear?”

“Yes, my lady. My apologies.”

“Very good, my pet. Now, as much as I appreciate how nicely that outfit suits you.. I do believe you are a bit overdressed at this point, wouldn’t you agree?”

You gave her a nod - the amount of heat that spilled over you from nothing more than her tone was immediate - unrelenting - a wild fire of anticipation finding its way into every last crevice of your body. The chilled air of the castle becoming more soothing against your flushed skin with every piece of fabric that fell to the floor. Her pupils growing more dilated with each inch of your skin that becomes exposed to her. She was hungry for you - you could see it. It was the way she looked at all of her prey before she completely devoured them. The ways her eyes lingered from one curve to another, taking her time to truly appreciate the landscape of you. Your skin growing more flushed with each gaze that they gifted you. Her hips moving to some unheard melody as she began to close the distance between you - the sheerest of lace allowing you to see just enough of her to make your brain almost completely glitch out. Fuuuck.

“I seem to remember something about a specific kink of yours, my pet.”

“O-oh?”

“Something about being quite the fan of…. The larger things in life?”

“Oh…” Oh, fuck.

“Mhm… and as you may have noticed. There isn’t a single part on me that isn’t .. large.”

Alcina practically purred the last word - the cooled bricks of the castle walls a balm against your overly flushed skin as she continued to push you back. You swallowed, doing your best not give her any indication as to just how fucking wet you were.

“Ah… ahem… yes.. Yes, I may have noticed that.”

She laughed, her voice low and husky - filled with desire. “You are quite fetching when you’re flustered, my pet.”

“Erm.. “

Great, I’ll just be reduced to a chorus of random noises now, thanks.

“What a precious human you are. Maybe even my favorite pet thus far.”

“Mph.. fuck, my lady.”

Another chuckle as she leaned in even further. “And would my delicious pet enjoy it if their Lady.. indulged them in this kink of theirs?”

“.... Y-yes, my lady.”

“Good.” The utter firmness that one single word could muster almost making you short circuit. “Now then, if I were you, my pet. I would turn around and brace yourself against the wall.”

You gulped, this time loud enough for Alcina to hear - causing her to smirk. Her pupils dilated to a point where they threatened to swallow you whole. Nodding, you swiftly turned your body to face the wall, a hand on either side of you for support.

“Well, I do believe this may be my most favorite view of you yet.”

Fuuuck.

She allowed you to settle yourself into position before slowly moving in. “Safeword?”

“Heisenberg.”

The unguarded laugh that cut through the night air immediately made you smirk - the shadow of her silhouette flickering in the candlelight as her head fell back uninhibitedly.

“Oh, you are quite the humorous one, my pet… I do enjoy it.”

“Thank you, my lady.” You replied, blushing.

“Are you ready, dear?”

“Yes, my lady.”

She leaned over - dropping down to your height - warm breath spilling over the back of you as she placed a large hand directly next to your own. You could only imagine just how delicious her hips must have been swayed in order to position herself in such a way. The feeling of her immense frame pressing ever so firmly into your backside as she breathed you in.

“And don’t think I can’t smell how wet you are, my pet… I know you’re dripping for me.” She said, dragging the tip of her tongue up the entire length of your neck. “I bet when I spread those tasty little human legs of yours, the juices will be damn near gushing... Won’t they?”

Error 404. Fuuuuuuu-

“Mmph.”

“Let me hear you, pet.”

You knew when Alcina dropped the ‘my’ that she meant business. “Fuck… yes.. they will be, Lady Dimitrescu.”

She chuckled in response. “Such a good pet”

You were certain you were about to burst into literal gay flames at any moment - every inch of your body covered in a deep crimson. Your breath hitching as the girth of one of Alina’s fingers began to trace it’s way up your inner thigh - stopping just shy of where you wanted it most - resting against your core. You whimpered in response, causing her to chuckle.

“What a needy little human. Are you so desperate to feel me?”

“I’m always desperate to feel you, my lady.”

You knew you had disarmed her, if even for a moment. Quiet as her finger slowly spread your lips apart - warm juices instantly coating it. The sheer size of it apparent as she slid it down the front of your core - allowing the tip of it to just barely slip inside. A soft whimper escaping from your mouth.

“Let’s see how many of these you can take, my pet, hm?”

“Y-yes, my lady. Please.”

“Oh, I do love it when you beg for me, dear.”

Before you could even think to respond - brat out, speak in any way - Alcina slid the length of her finger deep inside, immediately filling you. You whimpered again, grinding your hips down into her - desperate for more.

“Ah, ah… patience, my pet.”

“Yes, my lady. Sorry.”

An achingly slow pace, each teasing thrust only making you drip for her even more. The length of her frame looming over you, heat radiating over you in waves as she slowly slid the girth of her finger in and out of you. If just one of her fingers felt this good, you could only imagine how incredible another would feel.

“More... my lady.. please. “

“Such a delicious little pet.”

Low sweet tones, reverberating across your skin. A sharp inhale as the tip of the second finger pressed against you.

“Ready, my pet?”

“Mmph.. yes, my lady.. fuck.”

Slow and deliberate - a multitude of juices guiding her finger in as your core stretched around them - the second one just as thick as the first - causing you to immediately moan out for her. Body shuddering, eyes half lidded - your body a lightning bolt of pure need.

“Comfortable, dear?”

“Y-yes. my lady.. Very.”

Her pheromones overwhelming you as she leaned in, placing a firm bite to your shoulder. The warm sting of it cascading across your body. Her long tongue skating softly over it before she pulled away, kissing down your nape and shoulder blades. Another bite to your other shoulder as she thrust both fingers deep inside of you.

“Mmmph-!”

You were trying everything in your power to muffle your moans - but the steady pace of Alcina’s fingers were doing their best to quickly unravel you.

“Let me hear you, pet.” She said, punctuating her words with a firm thrust.

“Mmph… Fuck..”

Your forehead fell against the cool brick of the castle wall as you moaned - whimpered - screamed out for her. Warm juices dripping down your inner thighs as you bucked your hips down into the thickness of her fingers. You had never felt anything so good in your entire life - and yet, you still wanted more.

“Fuck… I… Alcina… more.. please.. “

“.... As you wish, my pet.”

A third finger, perfectly positioned - the tip of it, immediately shooting a lightning bolt of the most delicious pain straight through your body - pressing against your entrance. Fuck, she feels so good.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Even slower than with the second one, Alcina took her time guiding the third finger deep inside of you.

“Comfortable?”

“Mmph.. y-yes…” You tried to answer - the muscles in your body beginning to shake.

“Such a needy human you are… taking so much of me.”

“Mmph.. fuck.. Yes..”

“But you are doing so well, my pet.”

“Erm… fuck..” Fuck.

She took her time allowing your body to adjust to the mere size of her. Every inch of you flushed beyond measure as she started a slow and steady pace. A warm sting as you matched her rhythm - grinding down - taking as much of her as you possibly could. You had never felt so full - so complete - so utterly fulfilled by the simple act of three fingers. You bit your bottom lip, feeling the first tidal wave of pleasure as it started to crash over you. Her fingers becoming more relentless as she took you over the edge. The sheer size of her holding you in place. The amount of bites she gifted you - a trail of burning embers decorating your flushed skin. Her honeyed voice rolling over you, telling you just how fucking perfect you were. Taking her fingers down to the knuckle on each thrust - allowing her to fill you, over and over again. Waves of pleasure crashing again and again. Warm juices dripping down to your knees as her pace proved merciless - until you could barely breathe, barely think - your voice hoarse from screaming out her name. You could feel your body shudder as she finally began to level off - wondering how many orgasms she had just given you - and you hoped she didn’t ask. Alcina leaned down again, placing a soft kiss to your dewy skin - droplets of sweat painted over every inch of you as she slowly slid her fingers out of your throbbing core - causing you to shudder. It was a sound so satisfying that it almost instantly made you wet all over again. FUCK. Your body swiftly falling against the brick - relishing the coolness of it.

“That was absolutely exquisite, my pet. You will have to let me indulge you in that more often.”

“Mmmh.. any.. time.. my lady... “ You responded between breaths.

“... With a strap next time, perhaps. Would you like that?”

You turned - immediately locking your eyes onto hers as you mustered a smirk. “Very much, my lady.”

“Good. Now.. rest up, my pet The hour is late and I still expect to be properly tended to.”

“I would never leave my lady so unsatisfied.” You replied, breath finally steadying.

“I should expect not.”

“Actually… I’ve been thinking, my lady… have you… ever had your body worshiped? Properly?”

With nothing more than the smirk painted across her perfect lips, Alcina undid her nightgown in one fluid motion.

[winterscaptain]

absence.

Aaron Hotchner x Gender Neutral Reader a joyful future fic

a/n: the next installment is here! this is the second-to-last piece in the berry hill section of a joyful future. as it has been lately, this one requires little ajf context, but i would recommend reading berry hill and waldosia, if you haven’t already. (thanks to aimz @ssaic-jareau, kira @good-heavens-chris-evans, and sabina @writefasttalkevenfaster) edit: this has been heavily revised as of april 29th, 2021. the changes and additions address continuity errors and ongoing subplots. 

words: 7k (prev. 3.8k) warnings: language, vomit mention, really accurate satellite phone protocol (eat your heart out, cm writers), beard!hotch, jack hotchner content, one last slow burn

summary: “absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it inflames the great” - roger de bussy-rabutin. au!march-september 2011

masterlist | a joyful future masterlist | ajf faq | taglist | what do you want to see next? updated: april 29th, 2021

There’s a moment where he stops at your desk on the way out of the bullpen, but you just stare at him. He opens his mouth as if to speak, then closes it. After a moment, he finally says, “Jack is with Jessica tonight.” 

You have no idea what your face looks like, but it’s enough to drop his shoulders and send him on his way, defeated.

+++

You let yourself into his apartment, slamming the door behind you. He’s been waiting for you, leaning against the windowsill across from the door. 

“How dare you.”

He sighs and presses a hand to his forehead. “You have to understand that I -”

“Bullshit, Aaron. I don’t have to understand a goddamn thing. What are you thinking? We need you.” 

His head tips up, and he looks through you. The haunted look in his eyes almost makes you falter - it so acutely reminds you of the days following Haley’s death - but you keep your resolve. He doesn’t say anything, just lets you yell at him until it's out of your system. You could never actually hate him and he knows that, which makes some of it easier, but not all of it. 

The tears start and pick up speed as you continue, nearly at a shout. “You've known for seven months that you were going to leave for Pakistan. I read the brief. Seven. Fucking. Months, Aaron. Since September, you’ve known and you didn’t tell us about the task force assignment in fucking Pakistan!” 

You pause, but the final nail in his proverbial coffin leaves your mouth without permission. “Emily died, and you’re still leaving?” He flinches. “You’re leaving me and Jack. You’re leaving our team. I never thought you could do something like that to us. Maybe them, but not me. Never to me. I mean, after everything we’ve -” You cut yourself off and raise the back of your hand to your mouth, unable to finish the unbearably painful thought.

He’s not sure which part is the most painful - the fact that you list yourself with Jack instead of with the BAU, the fact that you say ‘our team,’ or the tone that drips with hurt. The sob that rips through your chest breaks his heart. He leans heavily against the arm of his couch, knocked down by the weight of your tears. 

No. The hardest part is knowing he deserves it, that you aren’t saying anything that isn't unfair or untrue. 

“I can’t even look at you right now.” 

He can only watch you as you walk back out, leaving the door open behind you. 

About twenty minutes later, he receives a text.

9:34pm I’ll be there tomorrow at 12:30 to take you to base. Be ready when I get there. 

He crawls into bed about half an hour later, and receives another text.

10:05pm Goodnight. 

Fuck. 

+++

The ride to base ride is mostly silent, and you know something’s wrong. It’s nothing you can articulate or even really put your finger on, but it’s something bigger than just his imminent absence.

He’s boarding a C-130 supply transport with a few Marines and various agency task force members to an outpost in Pakistan. It will no doubt be a long and deeply uncomfortable flight. His go bag, packed with desert fatigues and a couple of creature comforts, looks smaller than usual at his feet. 

“How long?”

He sighs and shakes his head. “Task force operations are need-to-know.” There’s so much he can’t tell you, and it eats at him. Because it’s you, and he’s been an ass, he concedes a little. “Probably a couple of months.”

“We’ll be okay, Aaron.” 

A little laugh leaves him, and it pulls a smile from you. 

“What?”

“Remember when you chased me down last night to tell me the team couldn’t do this without me?” 

You roll your eyes. “It’s still true, but we’ll manage. We always do.” There’s a moment of silence, and you continue. “And you’re going where you’re needed. That helps.” 

It’s true. Your anger had cooled (just a little) overnight, and you decided you didn’t want to be upset with him when he leaves. 

You already miss him. 

“Don’t think I’m not still mad at you.”

He looks out the window, and you can hear the wheels turning in his head. Jack is on his mind, and so are you. There’s nothing more nauseating than the thought of leaving you while you’re still hurting from Emily’s loss. “I know.” 

Why are you going through with this, Hotchner?

Oh, right. You’re a coward. 

“I just don’t want our last conversation before you leave to be a fight.” You sniff, but don’t look at him as you continue driving down the highway. 

I am perhaps the most undeserving man on the planet. 

He says, “Thank you. I don’t want that either,” but he hopes you can hear what else he can’t say. 

I love you. I’m sorry. 

+++

“Alright, you’ve got everything you need?” You stand next to him on the tarmac, shading your eyes from the sun. 

Aaron hikes his bag higher on his shoulder. “Think so. You gonna be alright?”

You nod and reach for him. He embraces you, tucking his head into your shoulder. “You be safe, Aaron Hotchner. If you die out there I’ll kill you myself.” 

He chuckles, and you hope the sound is enough to keep your heart from breaking too much over the next couple of months. Your eyes close as he presses a kiss to your cheek. “I’ll check in when I can.”

Shoving against his chest, you turn him around and push him toward the plane. “Get outta here.” 

He takes one last look over his shoulder when he reaches the loading ramp and offers you a wave. You return it. 

+++

You manage to get to the highway before the tears start. The only person you want to talk to is Emily. She’d know exactly what to say, and she’d make sure your days off were full of fun and good company. You pull off on the side of the road, your head falling into your hands, sobs wracking through you.

When you’re able to keep driving, your chest hurts beyond belief. 

Without her, these months seem to stretch before you forever. 

+++ april 2011 +++

It’s not the first time you’ve ended up in his office alone, but it’s the first time you’ve really noticed the evidence of his absence. 

The picture frames on his desk started gathering dust, so you brought a little duster to the office. His desktop computer has stopped making noise, so you turned it on and off once out of pity. His phone hardly rings, unless it's the NSA trying to get a hold of one of you for a sat phone call, so you and Morgan take turns taking forwarded calls. 

The silence is overwhelming and seems to pull something intangible from you. It’s exhausting. 

“When’s the last time you slept?” 

You turn, finding Penelope in the doorway. You’re not sure how long she’s been there, watching your acquiescence to the bees that seem to have invaded your brain in the last couple of weeks. 

“I slept last night,” you tell her. It’s not technically a lie. 

She doesn’t look impressed. “Did you sleep through the night, or are you just trying to play one of your Jedi mind tricks on me?” 

With a sigh, you cop to it. “No, I didn’t sleep through the night.” You look out the window to the bullpen, and you know she sees something on your face. 

“I don’t like it either.” She looks over her shoulder, finding Spencer and Ashley playing a game of Go on the desk. Unsurprisingly, Spencer’s winning. Rossi and Derek speak quietly by the little kitchen, looking just about as tired as you feel. 

The short-handedness is getting to you. “There’s just…” You search for something to say. “There’s just so much to do.” 

Penelope looks back. Her mouth twists. “And we’re down a couple’a hands.” 

That’s an understatement. 

+++

“I would understand if you needed some time to think about it.” Erin leans forward in her chair, elbows on her desk. “With your team cut in half, even I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending you to another unit without some time to train a replacement or two.” 

“Or three,” you add.

She looks at you and nods. “Exactly.” 

You pick up the letter from the Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles. You’d be his right hand - essentially the liaison between operational support divisions and units operating in the field. It’s a hell of an opportunity, a huge promotion, and a significant bump in pay. 

“Can I take you up on the offer to think about it?” You slide the letter across the desk again. 

Her eyes are soft, and you almost feel close to her in that moment. “Of course. Take your time. It’s a position created just for you, so there’s nobody else in line for it.” 

“Thanks.” 

+++ may 2011 +++

“Ready or not, here I come!” You call across the apartment, sneaking through the familiar rooms with practiced ease. 

Aaron’s been away for close to a month, and you’ve settled into a routine. Cases, of course, keep you busy. Derek’s rather good at playing unit chief - decisive and collaborative - but you miss Aaron’s steady, even hand. 

Really, you miss everything about him. You try not to think about him too much. 

You fail, often. 

Avoiding thoughts of Aaron gets even harder as you creep into the master bedroom. The smell of him hasn’t left. Past the doorway, the air is spicy, masculine, and warm. You squint at the bed. One of the pillows moves, just a little, and you pounce, pulling the covers back and grabbing the wiggling pillow. 

Jack screeches and throws himself at you. You catch him and fall back on the bed, laughing. “I found you!”

Jess is off running errands for the afternoon, taking some well-earned time off. You’ll more than likely spend the night over here tonight to give her more of her weekend. It’s never any trouble to stay with Jack. You adore each other. 

Usually, Jack leaps right to his feet for another round, but he stays put after his fit of mirth passes, sprawling across your chest. 

“What are you thinking about over there?”

He sighs, and brings his little hands under his chin, propping his head up so he can look at you. He’s six (and then some), now - still very much a boy - but the pensive look on his face starkly reminds you of his father. “When’s Dad going to be home?”

You push some hair off his forehead. “I’m not sure, my love. I’m hoping it’s only a couple more weeks, but it could be a little longer than that.” 

He sighs, and it breaks your heart a little. You turn on your side, and he curls into you, resting his head on your arm and tucking under your chin. “Are you and my dad best friends? I have a best friend named Connor and he says best friends are really important and I was just wondering.”

You laugh a little. “Yeah, I think so. Your dad and I have known each other for a long time.” His little hands play with the collar of your shirt. There’s more to his question. Jack’s just like his dad and takes a bit of ferreting out. Luckily, you’ve had plenty of practice. “What are you curious about, little bug?”

“Do you miss Dad?”

A track of Aaron’s laugh, his smile, the way his arms feel around you flies through your head. “Yeah, I miss him a lot.” 

“I’m happy you’re here so we can miss him together.” You can almost hear Aaron’s voice in Jack’s. It sounds just like something he would say, and probably has said, talking to his son about Haley.

“Me too, buddy.” You kiss the top of his head. “Me too.” 

Jess returns about an hour later, groceries in-hand, to find you and Jack curled together in Aaron’s bed, snoozing the afternoon away. She snaps a picture with her phone, saving it in an album she keeps for Aaron. After she puts the groceries away, she escapes, leaving a note. 

You’re on your own tonight and tomorrow. Have a good time with breakfast - he’s been picky lately. 

XO, Jess

+++

“You know,” Jess says, a little out of the blue one afternoon. “Haley told me something once.” 

You snort. “I’d imagine she told you a great number of things.” 

“Well, sure. But I mean about you and Aaron.” 

It’s pretty stupid that your body decides to panic over absolutely nothing. If this was a polygraph, you’d fail outright. And yet, nothing’s happened between you and Aaron. You’re just friends. 

Yeah but you love him. 

And he probably loves you, too. 

But we're all to chickenshit for that.

What a-fucking-bout it?

You take a little breath and a sip of your tea. “Oh?” You hope the query sounds casual enough and doesn’t give away the cool sweat blossoming over your palms. 

Luckily, Jess isn’t a profiler. 

“Haley told me - and this was the summer before she died, so it’s not like she told me under duress or anything - that she thought there may have been something between you and Aaron after the divorce.” 

She says that like it’s the simplest thing. You’re not sure what to say, so you keep your eyes on the grain of the coffee table, tracing the lines with your eyes. Eventually, you decide to answer in the simplest, most honest way possible. 

“There’s never been anything between Aaron and me. He’s one of my best friends and I care about him.” That sounds evasive even to your own ears. “I care about him a lot.” 

Jess hums. “I know, but Haley always had a sense about these things. And she knows Aaron better than anyone.” 

Her slip into the present tense makes your chest pull. 

“I don’t say that to put you on the spot or anything.” She shrugs. “I just think you guys would be good together. You’re good for him and I think he’s good for you, too.” 

She’s more right than she knows, but you can’t think about it for too long. You miss him too much. 

Out of a need to respond, you offer a half-hearted, “Maybe.” 

Jess reaches out. “He’ll be home soon. When he gets back, I think you should at least think about it. Or talk about it.” She shakes her head. “Or something.” 

“I have -” You cut yourself off, not really meaning to share. 

She squeezes your knee. “I know you have. So has he.” 

+++ june 2011 +++

Back to back cases - five of them, to be exact, pull you through the next four weeks by the ear. Formal leadership wears on Derek more and more by the day, and you find yourself making just as many decisions as he does. You’re immensely proud of him, but the whole thing is exhausting. Spencer does his best to slip back into his normal role, but Emily’s loss continues to wear on him. You don’t blame him.

Most days feel held together by duct tape, with you and Rossi acting as the adhesive. All that and the offer in Los Angeles you’ve hardly had time to process. 

Thus, your evening with Jess is both well-earned and much needed. 

“Wanna crash here tonight?” She sets a mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of you and sits heavily back on the couch. “It’s pretty late.”

You check your watch and find it is indeed late. Before you can answer, your phone rings, and you answer it with an apologetic glance toward Jess. “Hey, Morgan. What’s up?”

“We have sat call notification from Hotch. Can you come in?” He sounds exhausted. 

“Yeah, I can be there in twenty. Is everything okay?”

He sighs. “Yeah, looks like a routine check-in.” 

Jess sighs, knowing the drill. She goes to the kitchen and pours your tea into a travel mug. 

“Are you calling anyone else in?”

“Nope. Just you. See you when you get here.” He hangs up. 

You stare at your phone as Jess sits next to you again. “We have a call from Aaron coming in, and I have to head to the office.” She hands you your travel mug, and you take it gratefully. 

“You’re welcome back here - I can set up Aaron’s room for you. We’re a lot closer to the office than your place, and I don’t want you to drive if you’re too tired.” She sets a hand on your knee, and you reach over to embrace her. 

“Thanks, Jess.”

+++

When you arrive, Derek’s already on the phone. “... So, no leads?... Right.” He looks up and catches your eye. “Here, Hotch.”

You take the phone. “Hey.”

“Hi.” He sounds relieved. “Are you doing okay? How’s Jack?”

His questions make you smile. “We’re good. He’s good. I just left the apartment - Jess and I were having some grown-up movie time.”

You’re warmed by his laugh. “Good. Glad to hear it. I was just telling Derek that the leads out here have gone cold, but we’re still working.”

“Ah. Any chance you’ll be home soon?” You avoid Derek’s searching gaze. 

“It doesn’t look that way, no. We’re picking up on some chatter out there, but nothing firm. We’ll have to keep out for a couple more weeks at least.”

Your heart drops, but you hide it as best you can. “Alright. Anything you need from us back here?”

“Just keep doing good work.” You know he can’t say much more than that, with more than a couple of NSA guys in between you on the line, not to mention the archival recording of the call. Even then, you know he means looking for Doyle. “That’s all I need from you.” 

“We can do that.” You give him a quick rundown of some recent cases, all surface-level. You’re mostly stalling, using up incredibly expensive satellite time just to hear his voice. 

You hear him sigh. “Alright, I gotta get back. Tell Jack and Jess I love them.” 

“Of course.” You hand the phone back to Derek and wait while they finish up. Your eyes wander over the volumes of law books in Aaron’s bookshelf, the pictures of Jack and Haley and Jess behind his desk. Wandering over to his chair, you sit down and rest your head on your arms. 

Your eyes wander to a photo taken a year and a half ago at Haley’s service. You’re not sure who took it, but you’re crouched on the ground talking to Jack, while Aaron stands behind him with a hand on his head. Jack's little hands are in yours, and he’s smiling a little. 

Of all the photos to keep on his desk...

Derek hangs up the sat phone and puts it back in the lockbox. He crosses the office and leans against the desk beside you, placing a hand on your shoulder. 

+++

When you get back to the apartment (indeed much closer than your home), Jess is asleep in the guest room, and Jack’s still out like a light. 

You change into your pajamas, stuffed into your go bag, and curl up under the covers on Aaron's side of the bed. His pillow smells faintly like him, and you burrow into it. 

The bed feels far too big and far too cold without him. 

+++

“JJ!” You stand to greet her. “What are you doing here?” 

She holds up her credentials. “I’ve been reinstated as a profiler on temporary assignment, so don’t get too excited. It’s a contingent favor for the FBI and I’m sure the State Department will call to collect sometime soon.” 

You clear your consults and subpoenas off the desk beside you. “Good to have you back.” Looking over at the intimidating stack of files you ask, “Need anything to do?”

+++ july 2011 +++

The next time a sat call comes in, you can’t go into the office. Jack has the flu and is absolutely miserable. You can’t, in good conscience, leave Jess to her own devices. Between the vomit and the sleeplessness and the tears, four hands are absolutely necessary. 

“Derek, I can’t leave. Jack is literally puking his guts out as we speak, and I don’t have any new intel for Hotch.” 

Morgan huffs into the phone. “Come on. You know you’re the only one he actually wants to talk to and the only one who has any actual updates about Jack.” 

“You just have to tell him that I’m up in the middle of the night with his son, who has the flu. Isn’t that enough of an update?” You don’t really mean to snap at him, but the lack of sleep has made you a little punchy. 

“Fine. If he -”

“Yeah, I know. If he gets upset, just blame me. He can deal with me when he’s not in Pakistan. As long as there are five time zones between us, I’ll take my fucking chances.”

“Fair enough.” 

He hangs up, and you return to the hall bathroom, where Jack’s cheek is pressed against the toilet seat, his forehead clammy and face pale. Jess is taking her turn to sleep - you’ll switch off in an hour. 

“Hey, bubba.”

He mumbles something that sounds like, “Hi.”

“Can I get you some crackers or maybe some Sprite?” 

Jack shakes his head and lifts himself up, holding his arms out. The risk of illness far from your mind, you gather him up and lean against the cabinets, rubbing his back.

“Can you try to close your eyes for me?”

“I don’t feel good.” There are a few tears in his voice, and it breaks your heart a little. You’ve so been there. 

“I know, baby. I know. Just close your eyes for a minute, okay?”

He does, and his breathing evens out eventually. He’s still feverish, but you’re happy he’s sweating, at least. It could break by morning at this rate. 

The makeshift towel-bed on the bathroom floor looks more than inviting. You gingerly shuffle over and lay down, keeping Jack flat against your chest. 

It’s the best sleep you’ve had in weeks.

+++

“Strauss offered me that transfer to LA again.” 

Derek looks up at you from his report, his brows drawn low over his eyes. “You gonna take it?” 

You heave a sigh. Before you can say anything -

“Yeah, that sounds about right.” He puts his pen down, giving you his full attention. “What’s stopping you?” 

So many things. 

There are only a couple of them you can say aloud. Luckily, they have the benefit of being true, albeit incomplete. “I love this work. I love this team. I don't know if I want to be a lackey for an almost-politician.” 

“And?” 

He’s got you. He knows there’s more because he knows you. Even then, you can’t bring yourself to say exactly what it is that’s holding you back. So, you hedge your answer, knowing he’ll understand. 

“I can’t -” leave Aaron and Jack. You clear your throat. “I can’t leave this team. Maybe that makes me a coward or suggests a lack of adventure or something, but I can’t do it.” 

“It doesn’t,” Derek says. “It makes you human.” 

You smile a little. 

“And for the record, I don’t want you to leave. And I don’t think Jack and Hotch do, either.” 

A little incredulous laugh leaves you. Derek simply smiles, but doesn’t say much else. It makes your point for you. 

Nobody else knows you like this team. 

+++

The hardest days are the ones where you end up by yourself. Derek’s picked up kickboxing with Penelope, Spencer has withdrawn almost entirely, JJ has her family, and Rossi retreats to the cabin by the lake with an alarming degree of regularity. 

Thank God he’s not as cranky as Gideon. 

That would be too spooky. 

Everyone is out of the office, scattered to their respective distractions. You sit on the floor of Aaron’s office, leaning against his desk. Your laptop sits open in front of you, but you’re only half paying attention to the movie playing. 

It was only this afternoon you realized his office smelled more like stale paper, your house, and Tiger Balm than Aaron, and it broke your heart a little. Your only solace was his apartment - the evidence of his existence was inescapable there. With Emily gone for good, you often needed the reminder. 

His office phone rings. You pause the movie, stand, and answer it. 

“Agent Hotchner’s office.” 

NSA is on the other side, dry and professional. “We have an incoming call from Agent Hotchner. Is Agent Morgan available?” 

You tell him he’s not, but that you’re the next in line to receive task force updates. In an equally dry and professional tone, you relay your credentials and your unique intel code. 

“Thank you. Please stand by.” Click. 

You roll your eyes. 

God, they’re boring. 

Sitting down at Aaron’s desk, you wait for the armed guard to arrive with the phone. As per protocol, you’ll sign for the call and remove it from the lockbox yourself. You’ll return it for pickup when the call is completed. 

The guard shows up and you step through the motions, finally getting the phone to your ear. 

“Hey.” 

“Oh, it’s you.” He sounds surprised, but not displeased. 

You laugh a little. “Yeah, it’s me. Morgan’s unavailable at the moment.” 

“I see. Is Jack feeling any better?”

“Yeah. He’s been alright for about a week now. It was a pretty nasty bug, but he’s a trooper. Any new chatter down your way?” You trace the wood grain of his desk with your finger, only a little absent-minded. 

“There’s a little bit of activity on the border. We’re monitoring the situation. Is everything going okay over there?”

“Yeah, for the most part. We’ve been feeling the heat a little since Seaver transferred to Andy’s unit, but we’re managing alright. Dave’s called JJ back in to lend a hand, and she’s doing really well.” 

He hums. “That was a smart idea.” 

“I’ll tell him you said so.” 

“Oh, please don’t. It’ll go straight to his head.” 

You smile. “Fair point. Any updates on the timetable?”

When are you coming home? Please make it soon. 

“Not at the moment. I think we’re getting closer. Few more weeks.” There’s something behind his voice you can’t quite grasp, but you let it go. 

“Alright. Keep us posted.” 

“Will do. You know the drill.” 

“I sure do. I’ll relay the information to the team, tell your son you love him, and talk to you in a couple of weeks.” 

You can almost hear his smile. “Exactly. Talk soon.”

“Be safe, Aaron.” 

“Hey, before you go,” he says. “Can you, um -” 

You smile, tracing the wood grain on his desk. “I’ll tell Haley you said Happy Birthday.”

“Thanks.”

+++

Jess’s hand only shakes a little as she lights the candle and holds the cupcake between the three of you. While she takes care of the cake and begins to sing with Jack, you hold the camera, filming the impromptu party so Aaron can see it when he comes home.

“Okay, Jack you have to help Mom blow out the candle,” Jess says, holding the cupcake in front of him. With a great amount of glee, Jack extinguishes the candle with a big breath and a laugh. 

You turn the camera on Jess, who says, “We couldn't let Haley’s forty-first go unrecognized - she’s officially old and we had to let her know.” 

With a laugh of your own, you turn the camera around and wave before turning it off. 

“Can I eat the cake now?” Jack asks. 

Jess nods, pulling the candle and setting it aside on your picnic blanket. “Of course, but after we eat some fruit, okay? I don’t want the ants to get to the basket before you do.” 

The July sunshine beats down on the three of you, picnicking beside Haley’s resting place. It is, in fact, her forty-first birthday. You can only imagine the look on her face she would have adopt when you reminded her of her age. 

“Oh please,” she’d say. “When you get to be as old as me, you’ll never hear the end of it.” 

Jack sits in the sun, munching on a little apple slice. You reach over, rubbing a little splotch of sunscreen into his skin. He already has a little sunburn from your adventure to the District earlier in the week and you’re not about to make your life even harder. 

Aaron’s absence, even in its fourth month, is glaring. Jack has mostly stopped waking in the middle of the night looking for him and having regular meltdowns, but he always looks up when the front door opens with an expectant look that breaks your heart. He’s an adaptable kid, but months without contact from his father have taken their toll. If you’re honest, it surprised you a little bit. 

With a little bit of perspective, months are different than days, or even a week or two. Jack relies on Aaron more than you realized and the difficulty of helping Jess where you can has only further illuminated your ignorance.

“Will Mom always have a birthday?” Jack asks. 

Jess looks over at him. “What do you mean?”

He thinks for a moment, a little pensive. “I mean, because she’s not here. Do people who aren’t here still have birthdays?” 

“They do,” she replies. “That’s why we have to celebrate for them. They aren’t here, but it’s still special.” 

He nods, a kind of understanding look on his face that makes you think he knows exactly what that means. 

+++

“Yeah?”

You smile. It’s been a minute since you heard his voice, over the phone or otherwise. “Hey, Dr. Reid. How’s Vegas?”

“Hot. But it’s nice to be home.”

“How’s your mom?” You trace aimless patterns over the mat on Aaron’s desk, watching the suede imprint and erase as you go.

He sighs. “She’s alright. I think she’s about ready to kick me out, though.”

“It’s only been three weeks,” you laugh. “Surely you can make yourself useful?”

“I sent in her most recent publication to the journal, so I’ve outgrown my use until I find her a new thesis.”

You can almost see it - the two geniuses, mother and son, bickering over a game of chess or fourteenth-century novel. “Better find her a new thesis, then.”

Spencer’s thin smile is audible through the phone. “Guess so. How are things over there?”

“It’s a little hectic. It’s just me, JJ, Morgan, and Rossi now. Penelope’s still working with us regularly, but counter-terrorism keeps pulling her for ‘special projects,’ whatever that means.”

You don’t mean to guilt him into coming back or anything - you know he needs the time to recharge. He’ll come back when he wants to or feels he needs to but at this point, there’s hardly a difference between four and five agents on the team. You need Aaron. And Emily.

“With the amount of summer task forces coalescing, that doesn’t surprise me.” He pauses. “I’ll probably spend a few more weeks here unless there are any developments between now and then.”

By developments, you know it means any confirmed sighting of your target. “That sounds like a plan. We’ll be glad to have you back but take your time. You’ve more than earned it.”

“Thanks.”

+++ august 2011 +++

“How’s Jack?” 

“He’s doing alright,” you tell him. “He misses you.” 

I miss you.

Aaron sighs. There isn’t time for everything he wants to say, even less for the things he could. “I’m probably going to miss his first day.” 

“That’s what I figured.” It's hard to think about and probably going to be harder than you can imagine, especially if there’s a case that takes you away from home. “Jess will take lots of pictures and I’m sure he’ll be happy to tell you all about it when you get home.” 

It’s hard to keep the bitterness from your voice, but neither one of you could have anticipated this would go on for this long. ‘Over the summer’ seems a little abstract until the end of the summer arrives. 

This isn’t his fault. It isn’t. You know that. 

But it’s his fault for going in the first place. 

Conceptual anger isn’t useful. That’s another thing of which you’re keenly aware. 

And yet…

“Thank you for being there for them,” he says, as if he’s reading your mind. “I know this isn’t easy.” 

There’s nothing you can really say, but you hum anyway. 

The pair of you are just eating satellite time now, so you say goodbye and good luck before tipping your head back against his office chair. 

When the tears slip down your cheeks, you’re not sure if you miss him more than you’re mad at him or the other way around. 

+++

“Chief Strauss?” You knock lightly on her door and she beckons you in, just finishing up a phone call. She gestures to the little sitting area in the corner of her office, and you make yourself comfortable on one of the couches.

She hangs up and joins you. “Have you thought more about the offer?”

“I have. Thank you for your patience. I know it’s been a little while since we first spoke about it.”

Erin waves her hands, brushing off the implied apology. “The BAU’s work in the last few weeks has been exemplary. I’m impressed, especially considering the significant funding and personnel obstacles you’re facing at the moment.”

You laugh a little.  “I hope that doesn’t make anyone think working with this many people is acceptable, ma’am.”

“No,” she assures you. “I’ve made that very clear.”

There’s a small moment of silence before you speak again.

“I won’t be accepting the position in Los Angeles.”

Strauss sighs but doesn’t look surprised. “That’s as I expected. I will, however, add something that I did not share with you before to further inform your choice.”

You sit up a little straighter, a little more attentive.

“The push for a transfer is also in an effort to protect your reputation. I know the BAU has continued investigating Ian Doyle and while that is noble, it could go very wrong. And that much is above my head. DHS, ATF, NSA - they could all be upset by your unofficial involvement. This could go as high as Congress and could result in your permanent termination from the bureau, making you ineligible for work in federal law enforcement.”

“Yes, ma’am. High risk, high reward.” You shrug. “Or at least, that’s what Dr. Reid tells me.”

A wan smile pulls at her mouth. “Yes. As long as you’re comfortable with the consequences.”

“I am, ma’am.”

“Good.”

+++ september 2011 +++

“Alright, buddy! You ready to go?” 

Jack adjusts the straps on his little backpack while Jess finishes putting his lunch together. “I’m ready. Just need lunch.” 

“It’s right here!” Jess says, bringing his Captain America lunchbox to him and strapping it to the outside of his backpack. “You’ve got a ham and cheese sandwich, a juice box, some carrots, and a brownie. Does that sound okay?” 

He nods. 

“And if it’s not enough, we can always get some more food after school okay? It can be a special treat.” 

Jack grins and you all head off to the car together. 

+++

The little meltdown arrives when you and Jess move to leave him at the door of his classroom. Jack’s brown eyes get wide and rapidly fill with tears as soon as you take a step away from him. 

“Jack, baby, c’mere.” You drop to your knee and open your arms. He steps into them and you can feel his shaky, hiccuping breaths against your shoulder. 

While you hold him, you hear Jess debriefing his new teacher about their current situation, and the way things are in general. Dad in Pakistan, dead mom, goes by Jack rather than Jonathan, the whole nine. 

“You are so brave,” you whisper into his hair. “You are so smart. You are a good friend and you are safe.” 

He nods. 

“I’m so sorry your dad can’t be here, honey, but he’s going to be so excited to hear all about it as soon as he gets home. And I'll tell him how brave you are on our next secret superhero phone call.” 

‘Secret superhero phone call’ was the best way you could describe using the sat phone (and why Jack couldn't talk to Aaron himself) so you just went with it. 

Jack nods again, sniffling a little and pulling back. You reach for him, wiping his tears with your thumbs. 

“I love you so much, bud.” 

“I love you, too.” 

You kiss his forehead, reminding him, “I might have to get on a plane for work, but otherwise I’ll see you after you’re done with your first-ever day of school, okay? This is so exciting!”

He finally smiles, and your work is done. When he steps into the classroom, he doesn’t look back.

+++

Thankfully, you’re not pulled for another case until the end of the week, so you’re able to see Jack through his first-ever week of school. 

It hits you more than once that you’re the person next to Jess right now while he hits these milestones. Long gone is that toddler that would giggle in his mother’s arms as she danced around the living room to Hall and Oates. In his place is an insightful little boy with a rapidly burgeoning sense of humor and a wickedly kind smile. 

You love him.

+++ 

The entire team got an emergency call, so you're all gathered in the roundtable room when Aaron walks in, looking all the worse for wear and -

Is that a beard?

Wait. He’s back. 

You just spoke to him on Monday, with news of a “few more weeks,” even in the face of developments on the Doyle case.

Fucking bastard knew he was coming home, didn’t he?

All of your joy in seeing him evaporates, and you narrow your eyes at him. Just like the last time you were in this room together, there’s an apology in his gaze. 

“Welcome back.” Derek doesn’t sound surprised, and your head whips toward him. He doesn’t look at you. 

Unbelievable. 

“Thanks. Everyone, have a seat.” You follow Aaron’s instructions, and sit, crossing your arms. It’s childish, sure, but the balance of personal and professional life has flown out the window. 

This feels like a personal slight, rather than a professional one. You try to push it away, but it lingers in your sternum like a lit flare. It’s uncomfortable, and you hate it. 

“Why?” Derek sounds a little concerned. Your anger cools a little bit. Derek doesn't actually know anything. “What’s going on? Is everything alright?”

“Seven months ago I made a decision that affected this team.” You notice, brow furrowed, that JJ stands beside Hotch like an ally. They both have odd looks on their faces. “As you all know, Emily had lost a lot of blood after her fight with Doyle.”

No. 

“The doctors were able to stabilize her. She was airlifted from Boston to Bethesda under a covert exfiltration.” 

No. 

“Her identity was strictly need-to-know. She stayed there until she was well enough to travel. She was reassigned to Paris, where she was given several identities, none of which we had access to for her security.” 

No. 

There’s silence, and you can’t tear your eyes from Aaron.  

“She’s alive?”

“We buried her...” 

Penelope and Spencer’s comments rush past you and you feel much like you did in the waiting room on that horrible, horrible night seven months ago. 

“As I said, I take full responsibility for the decision. If anyone has any issues, they should be directed toward me.” 

His eyes finally meet yours, and you find your vision blurred. You blink away your tears. 

It was a necessary lie. 

You go into this business expecting to be lied to. 

Not by Aaron. 

That’s not the issue and you know it. He left. 

He missed Jack’s first day of school. He was gone for five months. 

He left us. 

“Any issues?” Derek’s disbelief is marred by hurt, but you can’t reassure him through your own shock. “Yeah, I got issues.”

He’s cut off by Penelope’s glance toward the doorway. 

The team, save for JJ and Hotch, rushes toward her. You’re stuck to your seat until she approaches you. At her touch, you come back to life, throwing yourself into her arms. Her name sounds strangled leaving your mouth. “Emily.”

“I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry.” Her grip on you is tight, but your arms, looped around her shoulders, don’t feel like they’re attached to your body. 

She lets you go and continues to speak. Derek’s frozen, and you can’t imagine for a minute what’s going on in his head. Emily wraps around him. He’s stock still, his eyes misty. You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding when he brings his hand to her shoulder, his cheek falling onto the side of her head. 

It’s back to business faster than you can blink, and now you’re sure you’re not the only one ready to kill Aaron where he stands. Derek is livid. 

They stare at each other while Spencer starts asking questions. Eventually, they focus back. Aaron crosses to you, contributing where necessary. 

You don’t acknowledge him. It’s horrible. You hate being so angry with him, but there’s nothing to be done. 

You can’t be upset at him about Emily. There’s too much to understand, and yet the initial shock of it is like a never-ending bucket of cold water poured over your body. 

Selfishly, you realize you’re upset with him because he didn’t tell you he was coming home. It’s so small when there are other, much bigger, issues to address. 

Emily’s lie is professional. Just part of the job. This one feels personal.

You’re a child. Let it go. 

He knew and he left. 

He missed Haley's birthday.

He knew and he left. 

He shouldn't have gone. 

He didn’t tell you he was coming home.

[kiirokero]

Brother’s Best Friend

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre: College AU, F2L, Fluff, Light Angst

Word Count: 1,956

Summary: You and your brother Jimin are 2 peas in a pod. You’ve been with each other through thick and thin, but what do you do when you fall for one of his best friends, Kim Taehyung?

Warnings: Mentions of abusive parents but it’s like... one alluding sentence.

Note: Look Ma, I’m trying

     The scent of the stew you were cooking on the stove for breakfast wafted through the air, calming in an odd, homely way. Your brother, Jimin, walked out of his room, the remnants of sleep still evident as he bumped into furniture and rubbing his eyes. "Careful, don't hurt yourself." You chuckled, turning your attention back to breakfast.

     Jimin grumbled, stumbling over to the kitchen. "You're making breakfast?" He asked, peeking over your shoulder. "Yeah, you stayed up all night studying, figured you would need the energy." I shrugged, turning off the burner, allowing the stew to cool. "Speaking of," You continued, "Have you decided what you wanted to do for your graduation celebration?" Jimin was quiet for a minute before he sighed, "I'll probably have Tae and Kook over for a mini party. I mean, it's just college."

     You gasped, whipping around to glare at your older brother. "It's not 'Just college'." You countered, "You've been working so hard to get this music degree, you deserve something special." You poked his chest and started making bowls of stew for the both of you. "Y/n, we're both broke college students," He chuckled, following close behind you as you went to sit at the coffee table, the usual breakfast place.

    You and Jimin shared a small apartment about 20 minutes from the college the two of you went to. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, and an open kitchen-living room plan. You could have a conversation with one another from anywhere in the house. But both of you were extremely proud of it. Living with your parents wasn't the healthiest, it took a toll on your mental health, Jimin's too, but you always had each other.

     So when you two got scholarships for the same college, Jimin for music, you for foreign languages, it was like a dream. That didn't mean the two of you were breezing by, but together, you managed. Jimin was a performer at a local restaurant and you had odd jobs. You would make money being a tutor, working at the local cafe, and, now and then, being a teacher assistant for foreign exchange students. Together, you saved enough money to rent your shared apartment and just live. You guys weren't sailing by, but you always had enough.

     "Just hush and eat," You dug into your own bowl, humming when the savory taste hit your mouth. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, Tae and Kook are coming over today." Jimin casually informed you, like he hadn't just dropped the biggest bomb. You choked on your stew and Jimin frantically handed you his glass of water. After almost dying, you took a deep breath and laid your head on the table. "You couldn't have told me sooner?" You grumbled.

     "Why? The apartment's clean." He shrugged, continuing to eat. It wasn't that, far from it. The apartment was always clean. It was the fact that the man you were crushing on was suddenly coming over. Tae. Taehyung. Kim Taehyung was coming over and your idiot brother didn't tell you until now. "When will they be here?" And as if that were a cue for the universe, there was a knock at the door. "Now!" Jimin cheered, smiling as he answered the door.

     The familiar voices of Taehyung and Jungkook filled your tiny apartment. Quickly, you tried to sneak down the hall to your bedroom, "Hey Y/n!" but that plan was halted when Taehyung's deep voice calls out to you. Taking a deep breath, you turned around to face him. The wind was knocked out of you when you laid your eyes on him.

     He was dressed casually, black beanie, white jumper, and jeans. You felt your knees grown weak, but you held yourself up for the sake of your dignity. "Hey guys, how are you?" You smiled, trying not to give away your obvious nervousness. "We're good!" Jungkook chimed in, walking over to give you a quick hug, Taehyung not far behind. You got a whiff of his cologne, it was earthy, it reminded you of a forest after rainfall.

    "Y/n! You wanna join us? We're just going to play video games." Jimin gave you a hopeful smile. He always wanted you to tag along, you being his best friend since forever. The other boys didn't mind either, always getting sad whenever you were too busy studying to hang out with them. You chuckled softly, "Sorry Chim, I uh... Have a video call with Namjoon." You lied, knowing that if you spent another second next to Taehyung, you would probably pass out.

     Jimin pouted, his blonde hair was thrown back as he whined, "Do you have to?" Taehyung said, sporting a pout as well. He was testing your willpower, but you stayed the same. "Y-yeah, maybe next time." You scrambled away to your bedroom, shutting the door and flopping on your bed with a groan. Why were you so awkward?

     It felt like minutes passed as you sat on your bed, but in reality, it was a couple hours, lunchtime. You only knew this because Jimin came barging into your room asking if you wanted a burger from the local diner. Of course you agreed. "Alright, we'll be back soon." He gave you a salute and you laughed, waving him goodbye. You heard the ruckus of the boys putting their shoes on and the front door closing, indicating that you were alone. Or so you thought.

     That notion was quickly proven false when a certain Taehyung peaked his head through your door. He gave you that adorable boxy smile of his and you couldn't help but smile back. "Can I come in?" He asked, you nodded your head and he sat on the edge of your bed.

"I thought you went to the diner?"

"I didn't feel like going." Taehyung shrugged.

"Are you tired?" You asked.

"Not really, I just... wanted to hang out with you for a bit."

     You felt butterflies in your stomach bloom when he said that; you wanted to turn and hide your face but you resisted the urge. "W-why me? Jimin and Kook are your best friends." You stuttered, looking at his sculpted side profile. He turned to you, catching you off guard when he looked right into your eyes. His earthy ones bore into your soul, and you didn't have the willpower to look away.

     "You mean more to me than you think." He turned away, flopping down on the bed right next to you. "So, how was your chat with Namjoon?" He asked as if you weren't internally having a meltdown. "What?" You realized your mistake as soon as the words left your mouth, "I-I mean it was fine. It was good." You coughed, embarrassed. Taehyung broke out in giggles as he rolled on his side to look at you.

     "I know you didn't have a call with Namjoon," He said in a low voice, he started moving closer while you moved back, eventually hitting the headboard. He kept getting closer until he was right in front of you, at level with your stomach with both his arms on either side of your legs. "Why are you avoiding me?" He whispered to you. "I don't know what you're talking about." You whispered back, Taehyung chuckled. "I see the way you look at me, you know."

     "What do you mean?" You looked away, pretending that whatever was happening outside was more exciting than your crush who was practically in your lap. Suddenly you felt a hand grab your chin and you were slowly turning back to Taehyung. "You look at me like I'm the only man on Earth." His eyes looked longing, a hint of admiration in them. "Am I right?" He continued.

     You didn't know what to say, so you just avoided the question. "You're my brother's best friend." You grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from his face. "So?" He countered, taking your hand in his. "W-what will he think?" You mumbled, turning away from his amber hues. "Are you saying that you do feel this?" He squeezed your hand, moving his head to be in your line of sight but you kept looking away.

     "I-I don't know." You whispered. "I think you do." Taehyung sat up, resting on his knees as he grabbed your face to make you look at him. "I think you know but you're scared of what Jimin will think." And you were. How were you supposed to tell him you have the fattest crush on one of his best friends? What if Jimin drops him? What will happen then? What happens if this doesn't work out and you get your heart broken?

     Taehyung brought your face closer to his, bringing you out of your thoughts, "Aren't you?" He whispered, so quietly that if the deafening silence wasn't engulfing the both of you, you wouldn't be able to hear him. Defeated, you nodded your head, confirming his suspicions. "Don't be, it could be our secret for the time being." He continued. If your brain made a noise, it would be the Windows error sound. Your nerves were shot and your mind was going haywire. You felt your palms get clammy and your breathing pick up. Taehyung was still staring into your soul, his look intense but holding a fondness in them.

     "T-Tae, you know Jimin means a lot to me..." You sighed, the thought of keeping secrets from him was saddening, the possibility that he wouldn't approve of Tae and you saddened you even more. "Then we'll tell him. Just... kiss me." He begged, using his thumb to caress your cheekbone. One kiss couldn't hurt. So you nodded, ignoring the web of emotions that was currently restraining you from what you really wanted, Taehyung.

     Slowly, Taehyung leaned in, stopping right before your lips touched. His earthy cologne filled your nose and your heart fluttered when his warm breath hit your face. His lips met yours softly as if you were prized china, precious and fragile. Your mind calmed from all the doubts that were swirling through it, all you could think about was Taehyung plump lips, a little chapped, but soft.

     You were inexperienced, but Taehyung was more than happy to take the lead. His hands releasing your face and moving their ways down your arms, grabbing your hand with one and pulling you closer by the waist with the other. Fire seemed to burn in your stomach as you wrapped your arms around his neck, waiting to feel more of the warmth that radiated off of his body. His brunette curls brushed against your face. In any other situation it would've made you giggle, but now it only made your heart skip a beat.

     He gripped your waist tighter and he kissed you harder, more desperate, but he was holding back, not wanting to go too far. His other hand squeezed yours, his thumb caressing over your knuckles. The two of you only pulled apart when your lungs screamed for oxygen. He rested his forehead on yours, his curls like a curtain pulled back to see his sculpted face. His lips were swollen and glistening, and yours were too.

     He didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his chest, head resting on top of yours. The rhythmic sound of his breathing calmed your pounding heart. You couldn't stop your wandering hands from resting on his waist. "Can we... try?" Taehyung spoke, still breathless, "We can tell Jimin if that's what you want, I just want you..." You couldn't help the smile that crept up on you, the happiness you felt quickly drowning out the doubts that whispered in your ears. "Yeah, I'd like to try."

[silkling]

Falsely Accused: Freedom and Flight

Ten solar cycles had passed since Jazz brought Master Yoketron’s helmet to Ultra Magnus, and a lot had gone down in that time. In those solar cycles, the Magnus had had the old video files retrieved from the database and had them fully de-corrupted. What the fully restored footage had revealed had shaken the leader of the Autobots to the core.

The feed has shown that Lockdown had been the one to enter the Dojo first, many joors before Master Yoketron’s student had arrived, and when he’d left he was dinged up and injured and covered in energon, not all of it his own. It had shown him returning with more Decepticons and massive storage containers, and they’d filled the containers with the protoforms and left. Then, about three joors later, the black and gold mech had arrived. Barely a full two breems had passed before Springer, Axe, and Dai Atlas had rushed into the Dojo as well. And everyone knew the story from that point onwards.

The new footage had been disseminated among Autobot High Command, and then two orns ago his former Master’s final student had been cleared of all charges. These last two orns had been spent getting the paperwork with Trypticon settled. Now, Jazz was on his way to bring the wrongly convicted Praxian out of his prison. Autobot High Command had organized a hotel room for him until they could get him moved into a more permanent residence. They’d also organized for a medic to be brought to the hotel room to look over and treat any injuries he might have.

They intended to have a ceremony in two orns time, officially broadcast to all of Cybertron of course, to reinstate the young mech into the Autobot ranks and publicly return his Autobrand to him. The higher ups had already released an official statement to the public with the information that he’d been innocent all this time, and that they’d discovered the identity of the real criminal, and that they’d already began reparation efforts to fix their error in judgement.

Jazz thought they were being too political about it, really, but at the end of the day he’d offered to be the poor bot’s guide as he adjusted back to normal life. He thought having a fellow cyber-ninja, and one who’d never known him and thus never treated him harshly, might help him feel more at ease.

Jazz arrived at Trypticon and managed to gain entry without much trouble. He was led by a guard to one of the armored visiting rooms that usually never saw much use, and the door was unlocked to let him inside. He was expecting to see the lithe Praxian free of cuffs or shackles, maybe sipping at some decent energon and sitting on a chair. He wasn’t expecting to see the mech sitting with stasis cuffs on his wrists, which were magnetized to the table, and individual cuffs around his ankles that kept his legs magnetized to the chair legs. He definitely wasn’t expecting the muzzle that was wrapped around his face, either.

For a moment, the sight was enough to freeze him in shock. He could tell with a single glance that the mega-cycles hadn’t been kind to him. His paint, which was supposed to be black and gold, was scraped and dull. The previously flawless black was faded and lifeless, and the once brilliant gold was practically a muddy, dirtied yellow with how bad off he was. Frag, the mech would need a good detailing before the presentation High Command had planned. It certainly didn’t help that the poor bot’s armor was dented and scratched. The Praxian’s doorwings, which every bot on Cybertron knew how sensitive those were, had scratches and scuffs all over them, and he was holding them low and tight to his back.

Those observations took only a sparkbeat, and then Jazz was letting loose a furious snarl of his engine. He felt regret stab him when it made the mech twitch back, his armor clamping as close and tight as he could make it. Jazz forced his field to settle, starting to approach the bot on his right side. He noticed as he did, he twisted and got even tenser, trying to turn his helm to look Jazz head on at all times, almost like Jazz was walking into a blind spot. But that wasn’t right, so he pushed it aside for now.

“Easy, Prowl.” he said. He didn’t like the way the mech’s doorwings jerked up and flared wide at the sound of his name, before clamping back down and lower. If possible, he looked even more wary and uneasy now. “Easy.” he repeated. “I’m not here to hurt you, mech. Didn’t the guards tell you? High Command came into evidence of your innocence. I’m here to let you out. There’s a room at a hotel waitin’ for you.” he explained, crouching to get rid of the ankle cuffs. He ignored the sharp jerk Prowl gave when he ducked out of sight, undoing the cuffs quickly then standing and freeing his hands.

Immediately, Prowl lifted a hand to rip the muzzle off, making a sharp, panicked noise when it wouldn’t come free. Jazz frowned, then reached up to do it himself. The release lock was coded so the wearer couldn’t take it off. He’d have to be the one to do it. He ignored the violent flinch from Prowl, trying to project something calm and soothing into his field.

“Easy.” he said softly. “I gotcha, mech.” His fingers dug into the release patch, and the muzzle dropped to the table. “There.”

Prowl was quiet for a moment, his form tense and his field held just as tight and close as his armor was. Then he slowly shifted away, slipping from the chair and standing. He turned to face Jazz, and the saboteur noted distantly that the younger cyber-ninja made sure to keep the right side of his face carefully tilted away from him.

“What do you mean?” When Prowl spoke, his voice was rough and staticky. It spoke of disuse. Jazz quickly realized he was asking about what he’d told him.

“You’re free, now, Prowl.” he said gently. “You’ve been cleared of all charges. We found the evidence that suggested you weren’t at fault on a bounty hunter’s ship and High Command used old records to confirm it. I’m here to bring you to a hotel. Once you’re there, I’ll bring a medic to your room to look you over. High Command want to have a ceremony to reinstate you and begin making reparations.” he explained.

Prowl’s doorwings, still held tight and low against his spinal strut, quivered. “….I can leave?”

“Yeah.” Jazz gave his best friendly grin. “I’ll be your guide until you can stand on your own two pedes again. For now, let’s just get you to a your hotel, alright?” He wanted to question the guards as to why Prowl had been shackled and muzzled upon his entry, but he could take care of that later. Right now, his priority was to get the mech out of here. There was no doubt he didn’t have good memories of the prison.

Prowl seemed to hesitate, but then he nodded slowly. “…fine.”

“Good mech.” Jazz said cheerily.

He moved up to step by Prowl’s right, frowning as the bot flinched and shifted until Jazz was at his left side instead. Something wasn’t right with that, and all the other little things that suggested Prowl’s vision wasn’t what it should be, but that could be handled later. He didn’t say anything, instead smiling and nodding his head in a gesture for the mech to follow him. He started walking, hearing quiet pedefalls behind him.

Neither mech said anything as they left the visitation room, nor was anything said as they left Trypticon itself. As they stepped past the boundary line of the prison, the quiet steps behind him stopped and Jazz turned to see what was wrong. Prowl was still, his doorwings held up and wide, quivering madly as he turned his face to the sky. Oh. That was right. Trypticon didn’t have windows, not for the prisoners, at any rate. Prowl wouldn’t have seen the sky since he’d entered the prison. Jazz felt his spark ache in sympathy, turning to watch as Prowl tilted his face up and seemed to just soak in Hadean’s warmth. He hated himself for having to disturb the mech, but they needed to get going.

“Prowl.” he said gently. “We gotta get, mech. Your room has a balcony. You can enjoy the sky from there, yeah?”

Prowl startled, then stared at him for a long moment before his armor and doorwings clamped tight against his frame and he nodded. Jazz sighed, then moved off and heard the quiet mech follow.

“You never told me your name.” Prowl sounded tired and worn, but also nervous and wary. Maybe he still didn’t believe this wasn’t all a trick.

“I’m Jazz. I was Master Yoketron’s student before you.” he said quietly. He forced himself to ignore the flinch from the bot, the way he looked away and didn’t say anything. Ah, slag. He should’ve waited before revealing that.

Jazz respected his unspoken wish and didn’t push. They didn’t talk further until they’d eventually got to the hotel room, where Prowl moved to the middle of the room and looked around. Jazz pulled a pouch of snanix from his subspace, setting it on the table.

“This is for you. High Command wants you to have it. It’s some of what was taken from your personal account. We’re working on getting everything back fo you.” he said, shifting awkwardly. At the mech’s silent staring, Jazz fidgeted further. “I’m going to go grab that medic I promised you.” he said brightly, then turned and quickly left. He hoped some time alone would help Prowl settle.

When Jazz returned a groon later, it was with a cranky red and white medic at his heels and a sense of anxiety in his spark. He opened the door to the hotel room, about to call a greeting, when his voice died in his throat.

Prowl was gone. The shanix was as well, and the mesh blanket from the berth was also missing. Prowl, by the looks of things, had taken both things and just disappeared.

And Jazz…couldn’t bring himself to blame him. Not after what had been done to him. He just hoped Prowl was alright, wherever he’d fled to. His only real lament was-

‘Ah, Pit. This is going to be hard to explain to High Command.’

——————————

Prowl had only waited about a breem after Jazz left before making his escape. He’d snatched the mesh blanket from the berth, fashioning it into a makeshift cloak, and the grabbed the pouch of shanix from the table. His subspace had been locked after his arrest, and hadn’t yet been unlocked, but he knew how to hide items without using his subspace. He tucked the pouch away, and then used the balcony to leave.

He had to get off Cybertron. He just had to. He had too many memories here, and he didn’t even know if he wanted to be reinstated. If he was honest with himself, he didn’t want it. He remembered the cruelty of the Autobots who were supposed to have been his allies, and how the only ones to offer any degree of decency had been his fellow prisoners, had been Decepticons. He wasn’t going to join the Decepticons, but…he couldn’t become an Autobot again. Not after that.

So he fled. After leaving the hotel, his first stop was to the space docks. He’d lived on the streets before the Dojo, so he knew to go to the seedier parts of the docks for what he was after. There, he found it. A mech was going off world with a shipment for Velocitron. It only took a few shanix to get himself a ride. He settled in the cargo hold, drifting into a meditative state for the trip. He was jolted out of it when the ship landed, and he slipped from the vessel without a sound.

He didn’t even leave the space docks. He did the same thing, going to the seedier parts of the docks, and buying himself passage on a ship headed out of the star system. It was still going to Autobot controlled space, but he’d be out of the home system. When he arrived at the new planet, he once again moved to the seedier docks without even trying to head to the planet proper. If he bought passage from the decent part of the docks, he risked his travels being documented. Like this, he could buy his passage and do so in a way that ensured he’d stay off any ship manifests or registries. He wouldn’t be tracked.

On the new planet, an outpost called Sigma-35, he bought himself a trip out of Autobot controlled space to a Neutral outpost called Epsilon-8. From there, he bought himself one more voyage, this time taking the ship of a organic crew from a species who lived in this system, and they took him several systems over. They left him on a planet with no official Cybertronian allegiances or strongholds, and that was when he finally allowed himself to relax.

This planet, he’d been told, was called Ortheax. It was a port planet, meaning it wasn’t inhabited and was used for ships from all species to dock and refuel and resupply for their journeys. The only rule was that there was no fighting in the Port proper. Outside the main hub, however, was a vast expanse of unmapped wilderness. Since everyone stuck to the port, no one had ever cared to map or chart the wilds of the planet. That was where Prowl went. He wouldn’t stay on this planet forever, but it would give him a place to lay low and recover, get back some strength. He’d move on once his frame had healed some.

That night cycle, he settled in a cave as far from the port as he’d been able to get. His rest was fitful. His recharge, when he managed to get it, was plagued with memories. When he wasn’t able to fall asleep, he made sure to keep the mouth of the cave to his left or in front of him. It was too easy for something to sneak up on him from his right. He would have to learn to compensate for that. But first, he had to recover.

When the sun rose the next orn, Prowl left the cave. He knew this planet had natural energon crystals, so those would do as a fuel source until he could find better. His goal now, however, was to find some sort of body of liquid so he could clean his armor off.

He wandered until he came to a cliff, where he sat on the edge to take a break. His body was exhausted, not used to so much activity after so many mega-cycles in Trypticon. He sat under the warmth of the sun, his doorwings relaxing at his back as he soaked in as much heat as he could. This was nice, it was peaceful.

And then the peace was broken. There was a roar behind him, and he leapt to his pedes and whirled around, coming face to face with a charging organic beast. He almost stepped back before remembering he had nowhere to go. He was about to panic, when roaring engines stole his attention.

Suddenly, from his right, a sleek race car slid in. It unfolded into a sleek white mech wielding a sword, standing between the beast and Prowl. And then a white jet dived down from above, transforming into another sword-wielding mech, and landed on top of the beast. The sword was driven through its skull, and it crashed and slid to a stop at the first mech’s pedes.

The racer sheathed his blade, and the jet hopped off the beast, putting his own sword away as he walked up to Prowl. The unknown car bot turned to face him, standing just behind and to the right of the jet.

Prowl felt fear seize his spark. Had Cybertron sent them? How had they found him so quickly? Something must have shown on his face, even despite the visor, because the jet was quick to lift his hands.

“Easy there, little one.” he said, his voice soothing. “We aren’t going to hurt you. We were only after the beast. It went mad about an orn ago and was heading towards the port. We wanted to stop it before it could get there. I’m sorry we accidentally drove it towards you.”

Prowl calmed as he realized they weren’t here for him. “…it’s fine.” he said after a moment. At his back, his doorwings relaxed from where they had hiked up high and tight against his back.

The jet smiled. “I didn’t expect to see another Cybertronian out here. You look like you’ve had it rough, how long have you been out in these wilds alone?”

“Not long.” Prowl answered slowly. “I got here last orn. I thought it would be a good place to get away, and get some peace.” he said carefully.

The jet hummed, a look of concern in his optics. “Then how did one so young get such damage?” he asked. Prowl tensed. At the jet’s side, the racer reset his vocalizer discreetly. The jet startled, shooting the mech wide-opticed look before he seemed to realize what he’d said. “Oh my, I apologize. I shouldn’t pry.”

“It’s fine.” Prowl said again, hesitating for a moment. He shifted awkwardly, his posture tense and drawn in.

“Ah, but how rude of me! I should introduce myself and my companion before I ask so many questions!” The jet gave him another warm grin, gesturing first at himself, then at the racer. “I’m a cyber-ninja Master. My name is Wing, and this is my student, Drift.”