#a girl in my environmental science class the other day was like ‘yeah after the last time i got covid ive basically been sick ever since’ | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

missluckycharms · 3 years ago

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can you do a imagine where y/n plays volleyball and she gets hurt and h take care of her?

A/N: hiii! I hope you like this! I also had to look up some details about volleyball as it’s not really that commonly played here in Ireland, if I say something wrong pls ignore it I tried my best. The vaccine is kicking my ass rn, I got my second dose so if this sucks and there’s mistakes pls ignore that also 😭 Enjoy !!

This is college!Harry and Y/N I hope you don’t mind !!

Warnings: talks of smut, strong language and Harry being a sarcastic loveable asshole.

Today was not Y/N day.

First of all, she woke up late, giving her only twenty minutes to get ready and make her way to college, which is usually a thirty minute drive without traffic. She was like a lightening bolt running through her apartment, falling over Harry’s shoes that were just abandoned around her room and trying to find any clean clothes as Harry came over last night and as usual, he distracted her from doing what she needed to do, which was her laundry.

He was asleep while she did all this, her small huffs and puffs picking up his shoes and throwing them into the corner didn’t even cause the lazy log in the bed to move once, his body tucked up under the covers as his face smushed against her purple sheets as he let out small snores, she looked at him and silently wished that was her. She was lucky she packed her gym bag last night before he arrived over, all of her clothes, her ankle braces, her knee pads and her favourite trainers she wears for games all packed into her bag and all she needed to do was pick it up and throw it into the trunk of her car along with her book bag.

She kissed Harry’s forehead and again, he did not even move, he may of given out a slight hum for a grumbled word but Y/N didn’t have time to contemplate what he said, she was rushing out the door wearing clothes that were probably Harry’s as the joggers were nearly falling off her as she ran. She didn’t care though, she needed to be in her first lecture or her grades would go down. She made it to campus with only thirty seconds to spare, she doesn’t know how she wasn’t pulled over for driving faster than the speed limit when she saw the campus come into view. Her body ran through the halls, dodging anyone in her way as she dragged herself to the lecture hall where her professor was probably already starting lesson, his usual morning introduction as everyone set up their laptops or notepads for the hour lecture ahead.

She got a disapproving look from her professor when she slide into a row, flopping down onto the seat and apologising as she rummaged through her bag looking for her laptop. Her professor was already going over what they would be covering today when she realised she doesn’t have her laptop. Then she remembered where it is, it’s in her apartment in the bathroom.

Harry insisted they had a bath last night to relax her after she took some exams in college that day, the pair were soaked under the bubble filled hot water with her laptop propped up on the sink playing a show on Netflix as they relaxed and spoke about their day. She grabbed her notebook and pen and immediately began to scribble down the notes she would have to transfer onto her laptop tonight, if Harry doesn’t distract her again. She knows he might not, he has classes of his own today, his starting later than hers and his classes only being on four days a week instead of five like Y/N, yesterday was his day off, hence why he was being a needy little shit and clinging to Y/N like his lifeline until they fell asleep.

The day dragged out for Y/N, her usual one hour classes feeling like four hours, her notes taking for ages to write up as she tried to keep up with what was being displayed on the board, her lunchtime consisting of her bumming off her friend for a few dollars to get something to eat as she left her purse at home, her friend didn’t mind but she felt awful for asking. When the day finally ended she was relieved, all she wanted to do was get into the gymnasium and play some volleyball with her team to get all the anger she felt today, she was not having a good day and the only things that can help her with that is Harry or volleyball, and because she had training today over their at home game being played next week, she was relieved she could get some stress reliving in before going back to her place where she knows Harry will be — he hates his own apartment as he shares, Y/N only having a one bedroom one that she snagged and Harry being left with a flat thats shared between four people, there’s no privacy there, none.

“You’ve been tense all day, is everything okay?” Abbie, Y/N best friend asks as they begin their warm ups, the two sat on the floor side by side as the stretch their legs and arms getting warmed up for practice.

“Today wasn’t my day, woke up late, forgot my laptop and purse and now I have to go home and type up nearly fifty pages of notes onto my laptop — Who’s idea was it for me to study Biochemistry?” She laughs out, stretching her arms behind her head as Abbie follows suit, the pair watching as the coach shows them what to do, the pair sat at the back to avoid being yelled at for talking.

“I think that was your idea, I certainly didn’t force you to do that. If it helps, environmental studies isn’t easier, I swear I’m constantly writing up lab reports and giving presentations each week” Abbie rolls her eyes, the pair now doing lunges as they continue to chat.

“Shit! I have a presentation next week, I totally forgot” Y/N groans, squeezing her eyes in frustration as she hasn’t even started yet, her mind immediately going to how she has to type up the whole presentation while probably having Harry hang out of her. Harry is studying sports science, in hopes to one day set up his own personal training business. They usually have study sessions together as Harry has just as much work as Y/N, but Harry isn’t as much as a perfectionist as Y/N, he’ll slap together a presentation and call it a night while she has to make it look pretty and aesthetically pleasing.

After a fifteen minute warm up, the girls are already playing a mini match for practice, six players per team, Y/N being up nearest to the net with three other girls. She’s been named as one of the teams best scorers, her jumps are high and her force hitting the ball is something that scares opposing teams when they play competitions. She’s been on the college team for nearly two years now, her whole college course is five years long — she’s aiming for a bachelors degree in Biochemistry, she’s so happy she has something else to do while in here, she knows she would of went crazy if she didn’t have something to calm her down.

They play three games, Y/N’s team wining the first game and the teams tying on the last game due to the positions being switched and she was put to the back to give other players the chance to spike the ball up. She’s back up front on the third game, her body now rested from the small water break they were given in between the games, her body full of adrenaline and ready to play. The game is playing out as usual, Y/N jumping and spiking the ball up and over the net with the help of her team mates, the other team just as good as them as they all battle it out on the court. In the last two minutes is when it all goes downhill, Y/N jumps up to spike the ball, when she lands, she wobbles and falls over, her ankle rolling as she cries out in pain on the court, the coach blowing the whistle to stop the game as everyone rushes around her.

She tries to stand up, she falls back down again, Abbie and another girl holding her up as she shuts her eyes in pain. The coach takes off her ankle brace and sock with her permission, she’s now sitting on the bench as her ankle is iced and checked over by the coach, Abbie helping Y/N by refilling her water bottle when needed, her ankle now propped up on a chair with ice on it as the rest of the team begins their warm downs.

“It’s definitely sprained” Abbie says looking under the ice at her ankle, Y/N wincing when Abbie presses down lightly, jumping when she lets out a small cry.

“Yep, definitely sprained” she says putting the ice back on and sitting down next to her friend as they both laugh a little, the pain easing off with the ice as Abbie distracts her with stories and jokes.

“Y/N, do you have anyone to take you home?” The coach asks, allowing the rest to leave as Abbie stays seated with Y/N.

“I’ll call my boyfriend, thank you for your help” she says as the coach pats her on the back, telling her she can take all the time she needs off while also still being allowed to attend the games to support. She’s devastated about it, but at least she can support her team from the sidelines.

“What happened?” Harry asks running out of his car, the door slamming as Abbie wheels Y/N out in wheelchair given to them by the coach from the injury room.

“Fucked my ankle, doesn’t surprise me honestly, today wasn’t a good day” she sighs s Harry laughs a little, helping her out of the wheelchair and guiding her towards his car that’s parked only three steps away.

“You’re okay now, let’s get you home and rested, yeah?” He says laying her down on the back seat, picking her leg up and resting it on the seat as she winches in pain a little as she adjusts herself on the seat.

“Thanks for all your help, I’ll have Niall come and pick her car up later” Harry says to Abbie, closing the back door and smiling at the girl who’s waving in at her best friend who’s mortified in the back of the car, laughing masking the pain she’s feeling.

“If you both need anything give me a call” she says as Harry nods waving her off as he sits into the car, turning around to look at his girlfriend who’s looking back at him holding in her laugh.

“Only you” he shakes his head laughing as Y/N lets out a loud cackle, knowing he’s right, only her would end up fucking up her ankle even with a brace on it, it’s defiantly a Y/N thing to do.

The car ride home is filled with laughing and a few sing songs as Harry tries to distract her from the pain. He helps her into her apartment by carrying her bridal style up the flight of stairs and placing her down onto the sofa, propping her leg up on the coffee table, raising her ankle up on a pillow as he races to the freezer to find something to put on the injury.

“Okay, all you’ve got is frozen peas” he says placing the green packet down onto her ankle, the picture of peas hilarious as it rests on her skin, the swelling gone down since the gymnasium which is good, as Harry says.

“I’ll run to the store to get you some bandages soon, right now, you need some tea, the sugar will help with the shock you got” he says immediately snapping into Mum mode with her, Y/N smiling at Harry in the kitchen behind her, her head turning and resting on the back of the sofa as she watches him saunter around her kitchen.

“Do you have any homework you need completing? I got all mine done in library period we had today, I’m free to do yours if you have any” he says fiddling with the kettle and switching it on, placing a tea bag into her favourite purple polka dot mug.

“I have to transfer handwritten notes onto my laptop, I can do that” she says as Harry turns around, waiting for the kettle to boil as he looks at her.

“Nope, I’m doing that for you, you need rest! I’m here to help you, I’ll be your nurse” he says turning back around to pour the boiling water into the mug.

“I’m fine Harry, it’s just a small sprain” she fights back, Harry shaking his head as he walks in with her mug filled with warm tea, passing it to her as he sits next to her wrapping his arm around the back of the sofa.

“I’m not leaving you here alone, if you fall what will you do? Get up and walk?” He says sarcastically as she rolls her eyes laughing, resting her head back on his arm as they begin watching the TV before them.

“Also, I expect the same in return if I ever get hurt” he jokes as she slaps his arm playfully, laughing loudly as Harry wiggles his eyebrows at her.

“You’re on top for the next few weeks Styles” she says sipping on her tea as Harry laughs, reaching over to kiss her check.

“I’m always on top, darling” he whispers to her as she pulls back looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Babe, please can you be on top? I had a leg cramp this morning and it might come back” she says lowly, imitating Harry and his deep British accent as he looks at her rolling his eyes.

“I don’t sound like that” he says taking her mug from her and sipping a little from her tea as she takes it back off him with a loud groan at what he just did — he always does it to annoy her, or he’ll dip some biscuits into her tea when she’s not looking.

“Oh yeah, must be what my other boyfriend sounds like” she says riling him up, his head turning to her as she looks at the TV screen laughing behind the rim of her mug.

“You’re lucky you’re injured m’love, if you weren’t you would be over my shoulder and thrown down onto your bed and I’d show you who’s your boyfriend, or daddy as you like” he says wiggling his eyebrows as she groans into her tea.

“It was one time! I said it by accident!” She shouts, turning bright red as Harry laughs loudly, kissing her cheek as she pouts looking down at her mug.

“You know I liked it, it’s okay baby” he says resting her head on his shoulder as she cuddles into him, her empty mug on her lap as she pulls the blanket down from the back of the sofa, placing her empty mug on the floor and throwing the blanket over them both.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you” she says feeling sleepy, her day catching up on her as Harry helps her nurse her injury, his hands fixing the frozen peas on her ankle if they move a little.

“You’d probably break your neck or something” Harry says as she groans looking up at him, his dimples popping out as he laughs at his own joke.

“I’m being nice!” She says as he bends down to peck her lips, their smiles against one another lips as they pull away looking at one another.

“I know m’baby, I don’t know what you’d do without me either!” He says sighing in contentment as she rolls her eyes squishing her face into his chest.

“Harry!”

#harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry styles smut #harry styles au #harry styles one shot #harry styles fandom #answered asks #anon ask #harry styles fluff #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x reader #harry styles fic #harry styles prompts #harry styles blurb #writing #imagine

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roundtableknight · 3 years ago

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Suptober Prompt 16: Delightful D-bags

Day 16 (actually 18 but I’m getting there) is in the books and this time featuring book nerd!Castiel and loving yet joking brother!Dean to Sammy with a little splash of being misunderstood. Enjoy <3

“What are you doing all the way in the back corner?” Charlie asked as she sat down across from him, sneaking coffee out of her backpack and Cas once again not understanding how physics worked with her. “You know they won’t kick you out for using this place, unless you’re… defiling the books. Ha! Get it, because you could disorganize the she—”

“Maybe I sit back here so you can talk without us getting kicked out for not quieting down,” Cas retorted, and Charlie kicked him in the shin.

Cas glared at her while she took a sip of her coffee and then unloaded her own backpack onto the table; she took out a few cords for her computer along with a hard drive, and Cas wished the poor bastards whose company was about to be hacked good insurance.

“No, but really. We’re usually at least around the feminist section so I can look at all the cute girls, but instead you have us next to—” Charlie reached from her seat and grabbed a book off the shelf, opening to a random page, “Psychosexual development and the Mechanics of Defense,” she finished.

“Not a big fan of Freud,” Cas said, and Charlie wiped imaginary sweat off her brow. “And to answer your question, the last time I was here in our usual spot I found some guy taunting another student.”

“Oh, did you call the front desk?” Charlie set down her coffee, intrigued.

Cas looked up from his book on the various types of soil he was learning about in Environmental Science. “No, I went up to him and told him off.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “No way! What did the guy do?”

“Well, the younger guy who I believe is named Sam, I don’t have him in the vast majority of my classes as his major is law, laughed. I don’t know if it was me or the other guy, but the older one turned bright red.”

“Well, I guess I have an attack dog now.”

“Haha,” Cas deadpanned, but let out a slight smile. He didn’t know who the older guy was, or his belief that he could go and belittle another student like that. He honestly hoped he didn’t see him again. “So, yes, that is why we are sitting in the back.”

“So you can watch out to make sure this guy doesn't attack you by surprise,” Charlie surmised, and Cas shrugged, already looking back into his book about topsoil.

“Not too bad to be prepared, though he already probably forgot about me.”

Cas should have realized, after living with three other brothers and a sister who would blame an insurmountable amount of things on him throughout his childhood, that he was never that lucky.

He was sitting in the back corner again, comforted by the lack of conversation that could permeate this area of the library; Charlie would stop by periodically to check up on him and deliver him gossip on all the cute girls (and boys for him) that were wandering the aisles getting their homework done, unlike Charlie. Cas had just finished his chemistry pages for the following class period when the light ahead of where he sat dimmed and he looked up, expecting to see Charlie’s figure blocking the light.

It was the D-bag.

In this light he didn’t look as intimidating, even with Cas sitting down and him standing; the older guy, compared to Sam, actually looked to be the same age as Cas, and he was fidgeting with the sleeves of his old leather jacket.

“Can I help you,” Cas said. He meant for the voice to sound more authoritative, but instead it presented an air of curiosity. Cas really hadn’t thought the man would look for him, especially as he had hid himself away.

“Um, yeah. I was told you were here by your friend in the front, the one who’s—”

“Not allowing any of the cute girls to get their homework done,” Cas finished, and the guy chuckled at that and made Cas’ insides feel warm.

“Yeah, that. So, um, I just wanted to rectify what you saw the other day when I was talking to Sam.”

“You mean when you belittled him about choosing such an inspiring choice of field to study and then calling him ‘Sammy’,” Cas said, not taking any of this guy’s bullshit.

The guy had enough guilt for his cheeks to turn red.“So about that, Sammy is my little brother.” Cas was just about to stop the man there by trying to defend his actions when he heard the second part of that sentence.

‘Fuck’

“You’re all good man,” the guy replied, and Cas realized he had said the last word out loud. The guy had a slight smile on his face which made him look even more attractive, and Cas cursed himself for thinking these thoughts when he had just gone on his soap box against the guy.

“I guess I should be used to brothers harking on one another, but my brothers had to protect me from bullies, so I guess I wasn’t used to seeing siblings act like that,” Cas explained, and the man’s face turned softer at his statement.

“Shit, I’m sorry I made you think that I was actually doing that to a student. I’m fucking proud of Sammy so I like to give him shit.” The man sat down across from Cas, and he realized he didn’t seem to mind.

“So, now that we have that misunderstanding out of the way, what’s your name?” The man smiled, dimples showing and his green eyes alluring.

Cas laughed. “Straight to the point, I see. My name is Castiel. Cas for short.”

“Cas,” the man said, trying out his name. Cas found he liked the way the man cradled his name in his mouth like it was worth something. “My name’s Dean.”

“Nice to meet you Dean,” Cas responded, and he found himself quite glad he got Dean’s character wrong.

Though now he had to explain to Charlie why the guy previously known as D-bag was now his crush.

Fin

#suptober21 #prompt 16 Delightful d-bags #fic #destiel #college au #knights tales

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scathecraw · 3 years ago

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BBRae Week 2021 - Day 3: Into The Woods

“Summer camp has been so much fun, Rachel. Teether hasn’t cried once since the day after you dropped us off, and Tommy got first place in the obstacle course. You were right, we should have done a camp last year, too.” Melvin chattered excitedly on the office phone while Rachel listened patiently. “They’ve made a bunch of arts and crafts, and the woods here are so cool. They’re really old, and Gar knows so muchabout all the trees and animals and bugs.”

“And who is this Gar, Melvin? A new friendof yours?” Rachel’s emphasis was obvious, and Melvin’s blush was practically audible.

“NO! He’s a counselor. He’s really nice, but he’s really old. Like, 50 or something. You’ll meet him on parent’s day next week.”

Rachel didn’t remember anyone older than the director, a middle aged woman she had spoken to when getting them enrolled and again during drop-off. She suspected Melvin was fibbing to cover her embarrassment, but she brought it on herself by teasing the preteen. “I’m sure I will. Does this mean that you’re going to drag me out into the forest when I come? I thought it was going to be an afternoon of arts and crafts and then some campfire songs, not a forced march.”

“Duh. Arts and crafts are lame. Gar said that next year he’d show us how to whittle, which sounds better than making lanyards.” There was muffled adolescent shouting, and Melvin covered the receiver and yelled back. “I gotta go. We’re going swimming. I’ll call you on Friday. Love you, bye.” She hung up before anything could be said back, and Rachel was left with dead air while Melvin sprinted after her friends, untied shoelaces flailing behind her.

Arriving at the aforementioned “Parent’s Day”, Rachel wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The camp had at first seemed like a good way to get the three adopted children outside instead of rotting their brains, but the sheer noise of a few dozen milling, clamoring kids and groups of socializing parents made her wonder what she had subjected them, and by extension, herself, to. She was late, which probably didn’t help the situation, but she looked around the chaos in an effort to find her own three chaos engines. Instead, she was spotted.

A wild, dirty missile made a high-volume impact with her legs, nearly toppling her and babblingso fast that even Rachel’s practiced ear couldn’t discern what he was saying. She was wobbling and about to fall over when a firm hand caught her upper back and helped her regain her balance. “Teether, dude! I said you could go get her, not try to body slam her.”

Rachel finally planted her feet, acknowledged Teether with a gentle hand on his head, and looked up. And up. They both froze for an instant, but the tanned, blond man recovered first. His slack jaw snapped into a smile, and he said “Hi. You must be Rachel. I’m Gar, one of the counselors here.”

His hand was still on her back and heat radiated from it like afternoon sun. Her face had never fallen into the silly expression his had, but unconscious thought raced before she could regain her composure. ‘Definitely not fifty,’ she thought. “Hello. Yes, I’m Rachel, Teether’s mother.” She peeled Teether from her leg with practiced ease, and he sprang off of her and ran.

Gar realized that his hand still rested behind her, almost possessively, and retreated to a more respectable distance. He chuckled, nervously. “Heh. Um, Melvin and Tommy are with their friends, still, but we should probably get them. Ms. Waller asked me to show you around – she said you had just moved to the area?” It wasn’t a question, but he phrased it like it was. They began walking back towards the milling crowd of parents, children, and quite possibly enough noise to drown out a jet engine.

“Yes, it’s our first summer here. She mentioned that most of the kids made this an annual activity, but I didn’t think we’d be so strange as to warrant a personal detail.”

“Oh it’s nothing like that, it’s just that there’s not really many other summer camps around, and ‘cause we go from K-12, we get pretty much everyone. A lot of the other parents already know everybody. You’re not strange, just… new.” His eyes never left her, even as they began walking.

Back with the crowds, Melvin and a gaggle of similarly aged girls watch the two of them. One of them nodded decisively and turned to Melvin. “Okay. They’re too cute together. Look at how awkward they’re being.”

Anotherhuffed a little. “They’re just staring at each other. They should be holding hands or something, right?”

Melvin’s eyes narrowed critically. “It’s been like 10 minutes and they aren’t kissing yet. Gar’s probably too much of a nerd to do anything. We need to do something to make sure they know how perfect for each other they are.”

“Like what? They aren’t going to start making out in the middle of the crowd.”

An evil smirk crept across Melvin’s face. “Maybe not in the middle of the crowd, but what if they were all alone in the woods? Then they’d have no excuse not to!”

A look of awe crossed her companions’ faces. “That’s evil. I love it.”

But the smirk fell, half-formed plot evaporating. “But how could we get them out there alone? It can’t be anything serious, or else Rachel will ground me forever, and I bet she won’t even go unless we can trick her into it.”

“Could you just tell her you feel sick?”

“No.” Melvin shook her head slowly. “Then she’d either stay with me or just take me home early.”

One, heretofore silent, chimed in. “I think I know what we can do. But Mel, you’re going to have to make a lanyard.” She giggled at the disgusted look, and said “C’mon, we only have like 15 minutes before they start wondering where we are.”

Across the crowd and a million miles away, Garfield and Rachel were, in fact, being tremendously awkward as they watched the kids run and play. Gar fumbled his words and couldn’t decide to stare at her eyes, the curve of her neck, or decidedly anywhere except her. Rachel was the opposite. She answered in short, monosyllabic whispers and swallowed, trying to ease her desperately dry throat.

“So, uh, you said you just moved here! Do you have a job, er, of course you do, unless you don’t! That’s fine, too! Nothing wrong with… that. Yeah.” He trailed off, before gamely trying again. “So what do you do when you’re not, y’know, coming to summer camps?”

Rachel took a deep breath and centered herself. Gar started. “I’m not, like, annoying you, am I? I’m sorry, I tend to blabber -”

“No. I’m just… a little off-kilter. I’m a curator of antiquities at the museum.”

“That is so cool. Gar’s eyes were like dinner plates. “I love the museum! I always wanted to volunteer there, but I never feel like I have time between summers here and planning classes during the year.”

“Oh, you’re a teacher? Grade school or high school?”

“High school and occasionally some classes at the community college. I figured I was already teaching AP and college bio isn’t much different. I’m sure the kids get tired of me after the sixth year, though, heh.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, uncomfortably warm even for a summer afternoon.

“I suppose they wouldn’t let you teach so many years if you weren’t good at the job. Not that biology is my area of expertise.” She clarified, hearing his unspoken question. “I studied history and preservation, so a natural history museum is certainly a big change.”

“Wow, I bet. Still, nobody does what they expected to when they were in college. I got a bachelor’s in Environmental Science, but it turns out most of those jobs are just telling corporations what they want to hear.”

Rachel leveled him with a newly assessing gaze. “Believe it or not, so are quite a few jobs in archaeology. It’s what put me off of the field.”

“But hey, teaching led me to Jump and to Lake Titan Camp, so I can’t complain.”

While the two nominal adults conversed, a far more intricate conversation was happening in the craft cabin. Kole, a pink haired co-conspirator of Melvin’s, was creating a half finished lanyard in pink and purple while the rest strategized. “Okay, so I need to throw her off so she’ll agree. The pink and purple color scheme is good – pink for me, purple for her, but I need something to knock her off her game.”

“You could tell her something that surprised her, maybe. But what?”

Realization dawned. “Okay. This is a little mean, maybe, but I was planning on talking to her about it anyway. I know just what to say. Kole, how’s the lanyard coming?”

“I’ve got it to the perfect length. Just long enough that you might ‘Need a little while to finish it, pretty please.’” She held up the dangling lengths of string. “Everything ready? We’re running out of time.”

“Now or never. Let’s go.” Melvin took a deep breath and led them to the doorway.

Garfield and Rachel were deep in conversation. The initial awkwardness had faded, and while there were still sparks flying whenever they made eye contact, it was more a static buzz than the almost painful live wire sensation of their first glances. At some point they had migrated closer to where Teether and Tommy’s two groups had merged into a supercrowd of children all making noise, forcing them to stand closer to one another to be heard. They were in this huddle, all focus on each other except for both of their frequent check-in glances to the children. Rachel had dipped her toe into a hint of vulnerability to test the waters, quietly and without fanfare explaining that she had adopted all three of them from the same orphanage she had found herself aging out of.

Gar reciprocated. “That’s really incredible. I was adopted pretty young by some family friends. I know how complicated that sort of relationship can be, but it’s doing something amazing for all three of them.”

Melvin, seeing their closeness, hesitated, just a bit. She was messing with fate, a little. But she was certain it was for a good cause. And it was now or never, they were already cutting it close to “Shared Activity Time” for her age group. “Umm. Rachel.”

“Yes, Melvin?” Rachel saw that Mel was nervous. Melvin was never nervous.

“I want to finish a project for you, but won’t have time later. So, uh, I need you to find something else to do. During the Activity Time, I mean. I just want to finish making this. Please, M-mom?”

Time stopped for Rachel. She had adopted them six years ago, and there had never been a time when Melvin had consciously called her “Mom”. Forms asking for “Mother’s Name”, sure. Mother’s day celebrations, absolutely. Even a few mostly-asleep, teary pleas, but never, never while Melvin was in control of her faculties.

But while time had stopped for Rachel, it marched onward for everyone else. Melvin held her breath and waited for long, tense seconds, but Rachel didn’t seem to be coming back to her senses, so she hurriedly spat out “Okayloveyouseeyousoon,” and fled back to the safety of her friends.

Gar, too, was frozen. Not to the same degree, nor for the same reasons, but he felt like he had intruded on something intimate that he had no business being a part of. He looked around, helplessly as Rachel gaped. After several seconds of silence, he couldn’t not do something. “Uhh. Rachel? You… okay?” More frozen immobility. He waved a hand in front of her face. “Rae? You there? Do I need to get a doctor?”

She seized his hand. “Did… did she just call me “Mom”? Or did I have a stroke?”

“Yeah, ouch. She did. I’m guessing this was new?”

“I… Yes. She’s never… What… what do I do? Was she angry I didn’t answer? Where did she go?” Rachel began looking around for her.

“Whoa, slow down. She’s with her friends. She wasn’t mad, it seemed like she was nervous, but not scared. And what you do is let her come to you and talk to her like you always do, and just make sure she knows you’re okay with it. As long as you are okay with it, right?”

“Of course. I just thought...” Rachel trailed off.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about! She loves you and just told you how she feels. That’s a good thing. Let’s give her a chance to do whatever she’s doing. The rest of the kids are about to go do an activity, so we have time.”

“I think I need to get away from the crowd for a minute. I can’t believe I’m asking this, but is it alright if we just go for a walk?”

“Of course.” Gar’s grip had at some point shifted to be holding her hand back, and he led her down a dirt path towards a grove of trees. “This path is quiet and not too hard.” Her sudden harsh look had him follow up. “You’re not really wearing the shoes for hiking, Rae.”

“Hmf. And since when did I say you could call me Rae, Garfield?”

He looked stricken. “I am so sorry. I dunno what I was thinking, Ra-chel. Rachel.”

She narrowed an eye. “Rae is… acceptable, as far as diminutives go. Just don’t make a habit of it in public.”

“Cross my heart. Hey, at least being a little mad at me put your mind off of Melvin, right?”

“And now it’s right back. So very helpful,” she deadpanned.

“Easy come, easy go, right?” His smile grew a little. “I don’t wanna pry or anything, but is it really that surprising? She said you were her mom like, a dozen times during camp.”

“I suppose not. It caught me very off-guard, though. Teether and Tommy sort of switch between Rachel and Mom, but Melvin’s never really seemed like she even wanted that sort of, I don’t know, ‘Official’ title for me.”

“Listen, the whole ‘mom’ thing isn’t as scary as you’re making it out to be. You’re already giving her the kind of love a mom is supposed to, and she loves you. She talks about all the time with stars in her eyes. Being adopted doesn’t make her less your daughter. Rita Farr isn’t any less my mom for taking me in when I was eight, and Marie Logan isn’t any more or less important to me just because she’s not around.”

Rachel took a breath and sighed it out. “Thank you. That does make it easier.” They walked in silence for a short time. “Wait, Rita Farr, as in the movie star? As in, the philanthropist and art collector, married to Steve Dayton?”

He blushed a little. “Whoops, probably shouldn’ta dropped that so casually, I guess. Yeah. Steve and Rita adopted me when my parents died. It’s not always easy, but I love ‘em.” He watched her reaction carefully, hoping she wouldn’t suddenly start treating him differently for having such well-known parents.

Rachel schooled her face after having that bombshell dropped on her. “Well, if we ever meet we’ll be able to talk about some historic pieces she has that I wrote papers on.”

A beat passed, then Gar’s loud laugh broke relative silence of the forest. “Aw man, she is gonna love you.”

And just like that, the tension was broken. All the concern, the lack of balance, everything fell away, and the static buzz of easy conversation punctuated by something just a little too close to intimate for an average friendship was back.

They wandered together down the shady paths, miles away and only a few trees distant from the campground. Rachel didn’t notice the distance she had walked on the formerly dreaded forest hike, and Garfield forgot to try quite so hard with his jokes and wise cracks. They walked, hand in hand and only somewhat realizing how close they were to one another, shoulders nearly touching.

The spell was eventually broken, as they always are. They rounded a final bend, seeing in the distance the campground they had left, what, less than an hour ago? And the reality that they had left behind when they entered the sun-shafted canopies woke them up, and they found that really, their hands were quite slick. Had they been clasped together the whole time? And Rachel, especially, was starting to sweat from the heat and the walk. Garfield was suddenly nervous, after all, he never talked this much, not without making a fool of himself.

But even after emerging from that hazy dream, they held on, gently rising out of the fog and into the real world so no sudden movements could disrupt the memory, the closeness that two almost strangers that fit together like complementary puzzle pieces had shared.

It wasn’t even fully dispelled when their hands slipped apart to be wiped on cargo shorts or dark jeans, though the almost hidden flight from behind a few low-branched trees of blonde hair and untied shoelaces and quiet giggle quickly sobered them.

Garfield turned. “Was that -?”

“Melvin. Oh, that little brat, she is too damn smart for her own good. I would put money on her scheming to get us alone.” Rachel fumed and her face tightened into a mask of cold anger. “I can’t believe that she would manipulate me like this! How could she – How could she finally call me -” and the mask broke, shifting from anger to near tears in seconds.

Gar panicked. “Whoa, hold on, no. She’s not that cruel, I know it and so do you. We’re probably missing something. You just said you can’t believe she would do this – she probably didn’t. Rae I promise you, there’s got to be an explanation that makes sense.”

Rachel took a deep breath, followed by another, centering herself. “I am going to get to the bottom of this. Where would she be doing this “project” she made up?”

“The craft cabin. I’ll take you there, but I guarantee you it’s not as bad as it might sound.”

It was like the crowd parted for them without even reacting. No one looked at the worried counselor or at the steely featured parent, but nonetheless they found their path almost unimpeded. Gar held up a hand just outside the door. “Let me get you two some privacy. Please.”

“Fine. Do it.” Terse and unhappy, Rachel’s displeasure was apparent in her voice, and it made Garfield wince.

He opened the door to see five preteen girls, huddled and tittering. At least until they saw him and his serious frown. Then their eyes went wide, and they looked to Melvin in a panic. “Out, girls. Clear the room. Not you, Melvin.” He stopped her when she tried to take shelter in the middle of the pack. He turned to follow them, and glanced back almost pityingly, then shook his head and exited.

The girls all ducked their heads when they saw Rachel just outside the cabin and hurried off, racing to be the first around the corner and away from the ticking time bomb.

Garfield simply nodded, and left her to it. Rachel entered the cabin and saw Melvin almost trembling, and it broke her heart. She had worked up a head of steam on the walk and the wait, but seeing her precious daughter actually afraid stopped any real anger and left only a bitter emptiness.

Rachel wasn’t quite sure what to do with her hands. She settled on a vague, open armed shrug gesture. “Why, Mel? Was it just a prank? Just a way to manipulate me?”

Tears brimmed in Melvin’s eyes. “No, I just wanted to give you guys a chance to talk alone. I’m sorry I lied, I really did try on the lanyard, but I’m just bad at them so I had Kole do it. I’m sorry, I am.”

“What? What lanyard? Melvin, I don’t care if you had a friend help with a lanyard! I just can’t believe that you would call me your mom, just to trick me into talking to someone. I can’t tell you how badly that hurts me. I… I love you too much for that.”

“What!No, nononono, Mom, I promise that wasn’t a trick. I promise. I was gonna talk to you about it, but I just – I thought that if I – I thought that maybe if I just did it you’d just let me and maybe you’d talk to him and then it everything would be perfect. I promise. I love you, Mom. I do. And I was just trying to maybe make you not spend all your time watching me and talk to him. He’s really cool, and I could tell you like him, and he’s completely in love with you, and you’re perfect for each other. I was just trying to help you be happy!” She sobbed, breathless.

Rachel froze, then instinctively wrapped her daughter in her arms and let her cry. “Mel, you don’t need to worry about me. I am happy, I promise. I don’t need you to try to trick me into being happy. Hey, it’s okay. I’m not going to say I’m not mad, but I get it. You don’t have to trick me into talking to, what did you call him, “really old, like 50 years old” guys? If we talk, we talk. That’s how adults work.”

“No, it’s not! I’ve never seen you go on a date, and you just ignore people when they try to talk to you. I know it was dumb, but I had to try something ‘cause otherwise you’d just give him that serious face until he ran away, and he’s perfect for you if you’d just give him a chance!”

“Mel. Mel, okay. I promise. I will give him a chance. But you don’t need to be worried about me. I don’t need a twelve year old playing matchmaker. You should be doing kid things, not bad romcom plots.”

“*SNRK*. They’re not bad. They’re sweet. And you like them, otherwise you wouldn’t have so many of them.” She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and glowered.

Rachel internally cursed Kori. “If you say so. Now let’s sit here for a minute, then we can go wash your face and you can go hand out with your friends. And I will have a talk with Garfield, and you will not stick your nose into my dating life. Understand?”

“Yes, mom.”

It still startled Rachel to hear that coming from Melvin, but it also warmed her heart. She hadn’t even known she wanted it until it happened, but it was like a spoken guarantee that she really was doing things right, and her little family really was working.

They sat together and Melvin showed her the lanyard that she had made via Kole. Rachel put it on the silver chain she wore around her neck and let it rest beside her heart promising mostly to herself that it would be kept safe at home. Then, when Mel had calmed down, they headed to the bathroom where Mel cleaned the tear tracks from her dirt-smudged face and rinsed her red rimmed eyes. Rachel gave her a final kiss on the forehead, and sent her off.

Gar found her standing there, staring off into space against the wall of the concrete shack. He leaned against it and slid down to sit around the corner and next to her. “So.”

“So,” she said back.

“Not saying it just to confuse you?” He glanced at her, gauging her reaction.

“No. But she wasn’t against confusing me.”

His eyebrow cocked. “Not mad?”

“Still mad. Still going to be grounded, probably. But she did it out of love.”

“Y’know, I don’t want to say I told you so, but...”

“But you totally want to say ‘I told you so,’” she finished for him.

“Yep. So what now?”

“Now, I guess I do what I was going to do before we had all this to deal with,” she said, the soul of nonchalance.

“What’s that?” he said, and when she didn’t respond, he stood up and looked around the corner. “Rae?”

“This.” with only his head around the corner, she turned and kissed him, gentle and sweet, and far too short for either of them. “I’d like to go out sometime. I want to take you to a behind the scenes at the museum, and I’ll let you choose the restaurant.”

His head spun and his eyes were out of focus. His thoughts were like molasses and he could barely get out the word “Okay.” before she was gone, a little bounce in her step.

AO3 FF.net

#bbraeweek21 #bbrae #fic

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tundrainafrica · 4 years ago

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Djdjjskssj what’s your own love story

Omg haha, people are actually interested in my love story. Thanks for asking. XD. Actually, I think the reason why I fell in love with Levihan is because it reminded me a lot about what happened with my own boyfriend.

Tbh though, it might be a little boring cause we were like friends for years and we really just conveniently had a lot of stuff in common going on.

My boyfriend and I met first year college, first day of classes and we were seatmates in our English class because the seats were in alphabetical order. We ended up getting close to our English professor and we would go out drinking with him on occasion. Since my boyfriend lives in the dorm and my house is really near our university, we usually went home together after a night of drinking.

I took environmental science in college but I was taking other classes and I was a student athlete so my schedule was really irregular and I had to take some classes with chem majors. My then not-boyfriend was a chem major and I was dumb so I kept borrowing notes from him and I was asking him to tutor me.

Then when thesis happened I really needed his expertise since he was one of the few people in school qualified to operate the machines I needed for my thesis. So we were left alone a lot in the instrumentation room since people can only use them on reservation. He’d accompany me a lot for thesis since a lot of the waste materials of my thesis were like the treasures of his thesis and he also borrowed some of my equipment for his own thesis.

Around 4th year, we were chatting and calling everyday already and I think we were best friends already at that time and we were doing a lot of best friend stuff like buying condoms just to experiment with them (for science) so you know when we get into relationships with other people, we could at least recommend which condoms to use and we were making dating pacts like, if we’re 30 and we’re still single, we’ll date each other and we were promising to be the cool aunts/uncles of each other’s kids and very supportive best friends.

And then he got really sick then he stopped chatting because he was in the hospital for a while and he ended up in a hospital room WITH NO WIFi and I went crazy cause he wasn’t chatting me as much as before because he had to go out to the hospital hallways just to get signal. And he lives a plane ride away from our university so I couldn’t visit him in the hospital either. I was like drinking every night with my friends when he was gone and I kept trying to drunk call him and when he picked up, I’d be telling him I miss him and telling all my friends that I really miss him and he delayed his flight back to Manila because he was recovering and I remember crying over that too. It was a very embarrassing time. When he got discharged,I got back into my senses, I wrote him a long letter telling him we aren’t even dating so I shouldn’t feel that way and I’ll work on trying to be more independent.

So when he got back to Manila, I was drinking every night with him to recover from that huge bout of separation anxiety and we were technically celebrating the fact that he was back but he wasn’t drinking because he was still recovering from his illness. I was drunk for a lot of that time so it was all a blur but all I can remember is he was holding my hand a lot at night and shit. Then we realized that maybe it’s okay to hold hands as best friends cause best friends hold hands right. So we started holding hands more often because he said my hands were soft.

And then I started baking him cookies and I thought it would be a good idea that we start sharing food and I would tease him a lot like eating a cookie from his mouth with my mouth or nipping him in the lip but you know just as friends and I was still totally crushing on his best friend/roommate anyway.

And I started going to his dorm a lot because I was crushing on his roommate and then my then not-boyfriend said there was some tension going on between us or something like that, and he mentioned that I wasn’t fuck ugly.

And I think it was just a month later when we realized that we liked being single. But tbh, seeing him with other girls worried me because I didn’t wanna lose him and he said the same thing so we thought, why don’t we lock this relationship so like it’s just the both of us but I was still crushing on his best friend though so it was like a conditional lock. It was like a dating pact but like a ‘if somebody else comes along we need to have a long talk about it, kinda situation’

We only said ‘I love you’ to each other like a few months after that because we wanted to make sure this wasn’t just some special best friends thing lmao.

So yeah to answer the other questions; It’s been two years since the best friend ‘lock’ and a little over one year since the first I love you haha so I actually don’t know where the relationship actually started.

And how did my boyfriend court me? He didn’t. I don’t think we even had a courting phase. We just realized locking our relationship felt better than worrying about losing the other and I think it was around after the ‘I love you’ and when we became a little more intimate and only after that did we start using 'boyfriend and girlfriend' because we just wanted to make sure this wasn't some special friends thing.

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teamsuki · 4 years ago

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fuck it....................zukki college au

Alright yall theyre all students at the big university in ba sing se

Sokka is a political science/environmental science double major (hes so smart), suki is a public policy major with a womens study minor (hell yea), and zuko is psychology major and art history minor (hes a baby)

Sokka wants to help better his community, and climate change still exists in this universe soooooo when hes stuck between picking two majors hes like Why Not Bot

Suki doesn’t know what she wants to do w her life so she picked a widely applicable but boring major and shes a huge feminist so at least some of her classes are interesting

Zuko…. Wants to do something where he helps kids so hes kinda thinking about being a child psychologist? Or maybe sumn in social work… he wants to help kids that went thru trauma like he and his sister did

They meet… at a party… but its not just any party… its tophs 21st birthday party and everyone is just. Shitfaced. Zuko is invited by Aang bc they’re in the same religious arts class n that’s how he meets sokka and suki who are the champion beer pong team. By the time everybody leaves to go to the bars sokka is so drunk hes crying about how much he loves his friends and then zuko and suki take him to get tacos

Zuko works part time at his uncle’s tea shop close to campus and one day the next week suki walks in! and shes like hey I didn’t know u worked here! And zuko is like hi :D yeah! So sokka and suki start hanging out at the tea shop during zukos shifts and work on their homework and keep him company. He likes them both a lot but theyre casually dating and hes like :(( sigh

Soooo lets skip past lots of angst and pining and FINALLY sokka and suki clearly communicate they both like zuko and want to be with him and zuko is like….sounds fake but ok

They start things off slow at first like going to get food and watching Netflix on the couch and ending up in a cuddle pile and going to the park to feed the turtle ducks and so on

Suki is captain of the roller derby team the Kyoshi Warriors and they always go support her bouts when it’s a home match

Sukis roommate ty lee is also on the team and when zuko first goes to a match he’s surprised to see his high school gf mai there, who is ty lee’s gf!!! So they all hang out and support their kick ass gfs

Sokka drinks too much beer and gets drunk and almost gets kicked out for shit talking the other team too loudly

After the Kyoshi Warriors win the match, the team goes out and drinks and zuko picks suki up from the bars at like 2am and she cant stop telling him how CUTE he is and zuko is just like :)))))))))

And then they get mcdonalds

Sokka is like. Always busy bc hes a double major and a TA for two different earth science classes so hes in the library or tutoring center a lot and zuko always brings him dinner and snacks especially during midterms and finals

For Halloween they go as the powerpuff girls. Bc why not

Suki almost gets into a fight with some homophobic assholes at the bar and sokka n zuko carry her out of the bar and when theyre walking back to suki’s place she starts crying bc people are assholes and then zuko starts crying and then sokka starts crying and then they all get mcdonalds

They all take one unit pe courses together bc a) sukis gotta stay buff for derby b) both sokka and zuko have anxiety and exercise really helps and its one of the only times during the week where they can spend time together (they all have class/work at different times so its hard to get together)

When they finally get a place together, it’s a 2 bedroom apartment bc one closet would not be enough for all three of their wardrobes

Sokka n Zuko got that Drip

Its also nice to have an extra bedroom in case toph or aang get too drunk to walk home

Iroh stops by once or twice a week to drop off extra baked goods from the tea shop even though zuko always brings some home after his ship

(when zuko tells him that hes in a poly relationship, iroh does not Get It. But who is he to judge now that his nephew is so happy? Plus he loves having sokka and suki around so)

Life in that apartment is v happy bc even though theyre all stressed out college students, there is so much love 2 go around

They love napping on the couch together

Zuko and sokka love cooking n meal prepping together

Suki loves leaving cute little love notes around the house

Suki and sokka love showing zuko movies

Like for example – zukos never seen dirty dancing. That shocking revelation leads to all three of them attempting the Lift – with suki holding zuko’s waist above her head, and sokka behind her holding onto zuko’s hands so they don’t lose balance. It lasts for a minute and ends with them on the floor crying with laughter

So yea basically…..they love each other n they live happily ever after

i also like to make playlists so here is what i think they would listen to if they had a spotify account:

suki (riot grrrl/90s with some rap n hip hop)

zuko (just pure emo. some lorde. mostly emo)

sokka (pop rock n rap... my man likes to dance and chill ok)

BONUS: zuko is the biggest unironic emo… and when suki and sokka surprise him with warped tour tickets (I KNOW LOL DIFFERENT UNIVERSE JUST GO WITH IT) for his birthday he starts 2 cry

He never thought he would feel this type of love…like ever

#avatar the last airbender #avatar au #atla #zukki #zuko #sokka #suki #zuki #zukka #sukka #atla fic

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mcwriting · 3 years ago

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sweet home alabama (2)

Hi all! Between marriage project and some one shots, I decided to upload this chapter!

Reminder: Characters have strong southern accents (save for Tom in the present).

Masterlist

Word Count: 2618

Warnings: slight injury mention

∆ present ∆

The weekend came and went, allowing Tom some time to get a new wardrobe for farmwork and acquire a pair of boots, as his last pair had been passed down and worn out by Sam years ago.

Tom had been enjoying a peaceful rest when he was jolted awake by two hands forcefully shaking him.

“What the- Sam! What are you doing?” Tom exclaimed, sitting up.

“You gotta go to Mel’s today, right? Sun rises in an hour. Better get up and eat ‘fore you head over there,” the younger brother explained. Tom tossed back his head and groaned.

“Fine. I’ll get up,” he replied, tossing off his quilt and sheet.

With the money Tom had made in recent years, he had been able to send some home every so often, which helped fund a much needed expansion of the family home. Unfortunately, they hadn’t added enough bathrooms for each brother to get their own.

“Tom! What in God’s name is taking you so long! You’re gonna be working cotton not modeling it!” Harry yelled, pounding on the door.

“Alright alright! It’s all yours!” Tom exclaimed as he opened up the door. Harry couldn’t help but laugh at his brother.

Though Tom had dressed in a button up, jeans, and boots, he had also made sure to style his hair until every wisp sat straight.

“You know you’re gonna sweat that gel off in ten minutes, right? Especially if you wear a hat.”

Tom rolled his eyes.

“Harry, you know me. There’s always a camera somewhere. Gotta be ready for anything. And it’s pomade, not gel.”

The other young twin just rolled his eyes back and slammed the door shut.

∆

A few minutes down the road, y/n was getting ready to start her own day. She rose at dawn like always, stretching a bit and hopping out of bed.

Though she was living a country life, she still took the time to do a full skincare routine, being especially attentive to the products she used and how much sunscreen she applied.

Since she wouldn’t be at any farms in the morning, y/n put on leggings and tshirt and headed out the door, a granola bar in hand. She only had to drive a mile away to get to the “s.h.e.d.”

As usual, she was the first one there, so she keyed in and turned on all the lights. She took in a deep breath of the smells of the soil and chemicals around her as she tossed on her lab coat.

You didn’t think she was any ordinary farm girl, did you?

In reality, she had actually gone to UCLA, getting degrees in both chemistry and environmental engineering. Now she had spent the last year doing research thanks to a grant to improve the agricultural health of her hometown so she could eventually receive a master’s degree.

But we’ll talk more on that later.

Now that the sun was finally peeking above the horizon, her two lab assistants finally showed up.

Her assistants, Ciara and Jacob, were students at a community college in the town 45 minutes away. They were bright and the three always enjoyed working together, as they played fun music and conversed while recording research.

“Hey! Glad y’all could finally make it! Y’all know that last week I collected more samples from Mel’s, so today I want to prepare a gram from each jar in solution so we can run samples and start looking at what nutrients need supplementing and where so I can put a fertilizer together for tomorrow.”

The two were happy to follow their boss’s instruction, and y/n couldn’t help but smile as she scanned over her lab, remembering where she started.

∆ 16 years old ∆

Y/n had always been good at school.

A straight A student, never one to act out or deliberately miss work. Everyone knew she was bright, and she continued to prove that as she aged.

By sophomore year of high school, she was already an above-average scorer on the ACT and was taking courses above her grade level to keep from boring herself.

But in a town as small as hers, one could only get so advanced in high school alone.

Thankfully once she was a junior, the community college Ciara and Jacob were now attending allowed students to enroll in some basic online classes and receive credit, so long as they had good enough internet connection.

Because she was ahead, y/n had a free period where she could mooch off of the school’s wifi in an empty classroom. However, she didn’t have the same luxury at home, and had to go to Tom’s to complete any assignments after school.

By this point, Tom had been going to small auditions for a couple years, picking up the occasional commercial role and making a few bucks here and there, enough to get his family better TV and internet, anyways.

“Hey, y/n?” Tom asked one day, late in the fall. He laid back on the bed, tossing a foam basketball above his head while y/n worked on her college math class from the floor. She hummed in response, holding a pencil between her teeth.

“What are you plannin’ to do with all this college stuff anyways?” he asked. His accent was still as strong as ever. He hadn’t taught himself to let it go yet.

“I’on know. Maybe git a degree and move out of this town for a while. Find a real job that ain’t baling hay or planting stuff. You know I really love science,” she replied. She knew she had a lot of options, she was only a couple points away from that perfect ACT score by now.

There was a pause as she continued to tap numbers into a calculator and record them.

“I got another audition ‘fore thanksgiving,'' Tom announced after a while. Y/n didn’t look up.

“Oh yeah? What for, toothpaste ad or somethin’?”

“Uh, no actually. This one’s for a movie. A real movie.”

Y/n dropped the pencil and looked up at Tom, pushing up from the ground to sit on her knees as he sat up straight.

“Really? You’re serious? You ain’t pulling my leg or something?”

Tom smiled big and nodded.

“I mean it. I really got this audition coming up.”

“Oh my gosh, TOM!”

Y/n quickly stood up, tackling her best friend in a hug, practically ending up on his lap. They stayed that way for a while.

“Tom, this is seriously incredible. You’re gonna be in a movie!”

He pulled back quickly.

“Don’t be too quick, now. This is only an audition, there’s no way to say I’ll actually get the part-” he started, but y/n got off him and kneeled on the floor, so that her eyes were level with his and she could grab his upper arms to look at him directly.

“You’re gonna get that part,” she smiled, unable to contain her excitement. “You’re gonna nail that audition, and you’re getting that part. This is gonna be your big break, I just know it.”

“Thanks for believin’ in me. Hopefully I won’t prove you a liar this time,” he replied, pulling her up into another hug.

She ended up being right, too, because after his first audition, he got a callback during Christmas break and secured the role which he’d film the summer between junior and senior year.

The pair knew they were really starting to grow up, but didn’t let their different pursuits come between them just yet.

Tom was the one who drove her to her final ACT where she got her perfect score (since she didn’t have a car yet), and the movie filmed a few hours away in the Birmingham area (where y/n drove Tom’s truck in his absence since he was still too young to live there alone).

It worked, for the most part.

∆ present ∆

Tom drew in a sharp breath and winced, limping through the barn and plopping onto a hay bale as he gulped down some water. He had been walking up and down the rows watering the plants, as the four-wheeler Melanie’s dad typically used to water was broken.

“How’s it looking, Mr. Carmichael?” he asked, dabbing away the sweat on his forehead with a towel as he rehydrated.

The older gentleman stood up and looked at Tom.

“Well, son. I’ve almost got this thing here fixed, but you ain’t looking too good,” he pointed out.

“What do you mean, sir?” Tom asked. He may have lost his accent, but didn’t forget his manners.

“Looks like you’ve been ridin’ horses the way you’re walkin’. New boots? Not to mention that sunburn you’re startin’ to nurse. Why don’t you run up to the house and have Mel fix those up. I’m sure her momma fixed some lunch for ya, too.”

“A- are you sure, sir? I’ve only got about 10 more rows before I’m done.”

“No, no. It’s alright, boy. Run along and fix yourself up. I’ll handle the rest.”

Tom thanked the man and slowly got up, immediately remembering the pain in his feet and now aware of the stinging on his cheeks.

He’d forgotten that boots don’t really break themselves in and he hadn’t worn very thick socks. He also had somehow neglected that the sun beats just as hard in the farmlands as it does in Malibu.

He waddled up to the house, where Melanie was on the porch reading a book.

“Well by God, Tom. You’re walkin’ like you just got your back blown out for the first time,” she laughed, causing his cheeks to redden more.

“They’re new boots, alright? Now could you help me out? Your dad said you might know of something?”

She looked past him towards the barn, then closed her book and nodded her head towards the door, standing.

“Come on. Momma made you a sandwich if you want it. You can leave your boots by the door.”

They headed inside, a large living room on the right and the kitchen to the left. Tom wiggled his shoes and socks off in the entryway as Melanie ducked into a hallway to grab a few things.

“Oh Tom! I’m glad you came in! Are you hungry? I’ve got lunch for ya,” Mrs. Carmichael said as she appeared from the kitchen.

“That would be really nice, Mrs. Carmichael. Thank you,” he replied as she sat him down at the kitchen table, placing a plate with a turkey sandwich and some chips in front of him along with a glass of sweet tea.

He dug into the meal, immediately realizing just how hungry he really was. By the time he’d finished the sandwich (which really didn’t take that long), Melanie appeared with a laundry basket full of stuff. Tom washed down his meal with some tea before speaking.

“Jesus, Mel, how much does it take to patch up some blisters?” he asked.

“First off, don’t be takin’ the Lord’s name in vain in this house,” she commanded, pointing her head towards her mother in the living room, to which Tom covered his mouth and shot a thumbs up. “And second, I figured it best just to grab all my stuff than dig through it.”

She plopped the basket on the table and herself into the seat next to Tom, stealing a chip from his plate. It crunched in her mouth as she began pulling out random things like a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and meds.

“What’s that all for?” Tom asked, brows furrowed. Melanie gave back an equally confused look and went back to digging.

“What do you mean? They’re just medical supplies.”

“Well, yeah, but I mean why do you have a stethoscope and stuff?”

She paused what she was doing and looked back up at Tom.

“You do know I’m a nurse, right?” she asked. She immediately knew he didn’t by the way his eyes popped open.

After high school, Melanie had been able to go off and get her nursing degree, now working in the closest hospital which was, you guessed it, 45 minutes away.

She usually worked 12 hour shifts at the hospital Tuesday through Thursday, spending her other days at home so she could respond to small needs around town, especially on weekends when people liked to get drunk and be reckless.

“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize that. Good for you,” Tom replied, unsure of what else to say.

“It’s alright. You’ve been gone quite a while and we all know you ain’t checking in on what happens ‘round these parts no more. Now take this and let me grab the aloe from the fridge,” she said, dropping two advil on his plate and getting up.

Tom did as told, feeling the weight of what she had dismissively said. He really hadn’t checked in since leaving. Sure, his brothers and Harrison sometimes kept him in the loop. At least, he thought so.

He was trying to remember what the last big piece of news he had heard about home was, but came up short. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had seen anything on social media about home, since he’d unfollowed most of the people back home after his career took off.

They all reminded him of y/n anyways.

“You mind if I put some of this on your face?” Melanie asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He obliged and she spread some of the cool aloe gel over his sunburn.

“Feel better?” she asked, to which he nodded. “Good, now let’s take a look at those blisters.”

She cringed when she saw how beat up his feet were. She pulled out a bit of numbing gel, hydrocolloid bandages, and fabric tape. Soon enough, she had his blisters all covered up and was handing him some more bandages and tape.

“Now I want you to leave these on as long as possible, alright? When they fall off or the spot in the middle gets too big, you’ll switch ‘em out for new. You should be in ship shape here in a few days. And you best not forget sunscreen from now on.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Mel. Hard to believe I’ve been gone long enough for you to become a nurse and all, huh?” Tom asked, half joking. Melanie nodded.

“Yeah, well. ‘Lot’s changed around here, even if it don’t look like it. You’d be surprised… Now before I forget...” Melanie quickly got up and left the room, returning with two wood and metal contraptions. “Here’s some boot stretchers to put in your shoes when you get home. Should help stretch ‘em out and I’m sure the boys would lend you some leather conditioner.”

With that, Tom put his boots back on and thanked Mrs. Carmichael for the meal, heading back outside. He found Mr. Carmichael sitting on the now-functioning four wheeler.

“Well, boy, you all good?” the older man asked.

“Yes sir. Melanie got me all taped up and your wife made a great lunch. So what else do you need me to do?”

Mr. Carmichael looked around for a moment, staring at a few things, then back at Tom.

“Well I got the rest all watered and y/n won’t be around with fertilizer till tomorrow so why don’t you go home and rest up those feet, eh?”

Tom tried to object, as it was still quite early in the day, but the old man wouldn’t have it. He eventually conceded and gave one last thank you, hopping into his old truck and heading home, pondering why y/n would be bringing fertilizer in the coming day.

∆

A/N: hope you guys are liking this story so far! I really love the time jumping, and the progression of it in future chapters is really cool!

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

Tag list: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @stxfxniexreads, @mortallythoughtfulgurl, @onebigolemess, @justafangirlduh,

#sweet home alabama #tom holland #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland x reader #tom holland x you #tom holland x y/n #tom holland story

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imgoingtohellsofuckit · 5 years ago

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Hope Can’t Fix Everything

Jasper x Human!Reader

Warnings - Angsty, mention of blood

Summary - Jasper finds his mate, but it’s not all perfect.

Jasper Hale never planned for his life to go this way. He never planned to become a vampire or to live for eternity. But he always went along with it. No matter what fate tossed at him. Because he had hope. Hope guided him through all his years. It lead him to Alice who took him to the Cullens. Hope brought him a undead life he finally could be okay with it. But something was missing. His true love. He saw Emmet and Rose. Carlise and Esme. Edward and Bella. But he still was alone. He couldn't believe it. How could fate screw him over again. But even when it looked like fate forgot him. Alice reminded him to remember to have hope. To trust fate to bring him who he's looking for. And one day it finally died.

"Is this seat taken?"

Jasper's eyes moved from his paper to the person before him. They were beautiful. Absolutely stunning. They have no right to be this perfect.

"Hello?" They ask, "is it taken?"

"Uh no," Jasper says softly, "it's free." They smile lightly.

"Do you mind if I sit there?"

"No... I mean no I don't mind you can sit there," He says panicking lightly. They chuckle.

"You're cute," They say, "my names Y/n L/n. Yours?"

"Jasper Hale," He says softly.

"Jasper Hale," They say, "that is a nice name. You got lucky your parents loved you enough to give you a cool name." He chuckles lightly.

"I like your name," He says.

"Thanks," They say, "I hated it growing up. But it grew on me."

"Alright now that everyone is settled lets get started."

The feeling in Jaspers chest revealed it right away. This was his person. This was his mate. And to think they were just right there. So close. He felt excited for what was to come. But he was also terrified. He knew nothing about this person. But he knew one thing about them. His mate was human. Which made this about a hundred times harder.

When Jas got home that night Alice practically tackled him to the ground.

"Well?!" She exclaims.

"I found them," Jas says, "I found my mate."

The rest of the family looks wide eye at the boy. Happy for him. Sure but confused.

"Slight problem though," He says.

"What type of problem?" Bella asks.

"They are human."

This was something they weren't prepared for. Even after Bella and Edward. They always assumed that Jasper would end up with another vampire. Mostly because of his trouble with humans. But still it's not like he could change it now.

"So their human," Bella says, "so. I was human."

"Yeah Bella is right," Alice says, "they are your mate. You are destined to be together."

"Yeah Jasper," Emmet says, "you've been waiting for them for over a hundred years. I'm sure that a pulse isn't enough to stop you."

Jasper with his families' encouragement suddenly felt a lot better about the situation. He has his mate. The person he is destined to spend the rest of his life with. And they are right here. He'll do this right.

The next day he was waiting for them in his last class. Excitedly watching as they stride across the room to take the seat next to him.

"So why are you taking AP Environmental Science?" They ask Jasper, "what made you choose a class 9 other people choose?"

"I like science," He says, "and I wanted to study something new. What about you?"

"I'm a hippie," They say simply, "metal straws no plastic. Pure vegan." Jaspers smile drops lightly. His mate was a treehugger? He suddenly didn't know about this. "I'm totally kidding. My mom is a Environmental Lawyer and she signed me up for the class." He chuckles lightly. "This class is a joke. You're lucky you joined halfway through it. Mr. Jones has been making us teach ourself since day one. So that fun little slideshow demonstration yesterday- don't get used to it."

"He doesn't teach?" Jasper asks, "why?"

"He's going through a divorce with his wife who also happens to be the Honors Anatomy Teacher," They explain, "since they filled for the divorce he's just been sitting at his desk sulking."

"Thats a shame," Jasper says.

"Yeah for our ap scores," They chuckle, "but don't worry I'll add you to the class group chat. What is your phone number?"

"Uh here," He says scribbling it down then handing it to them. They smile wide.

"Perfect," They say, "I'll add you to it. You'll get everything you need in it. Plus we have study sessions all the time and you get all the info for it in there."

"Thanks," He says, "thats awful nice of you."

"Anything for my fellow prisoner," They say, "besides without us there is no way you'd pass." Jasper chuckles. His mate moves to open their laptop and start working on something the teacher had sent for them. "So you have a big family?" They ask, "the ones who I always see you with right?"

"Yeah we were all adopted," He explains, "thats why-"

"You guys have people dating each other," They say, "I mean it's the talk of the school. The first interesting thing to happen in Evergreen since our prom queen killed our prom king."

"That happened?" Jasper asks.

"Yeah well that's what everyone thinks happen," They tell him, "I mean they never found a body and well Cassie and her family left town three days after Camden went missing. Anyways it happened a year ago. So now everyone's focus is on you guys. The Cullens."

"We are pretty used to it," He says, "we are a weird family so when we move to a new town we tend to get plenty of attention."

"Do you move a lot?"

"Uh kinda," Jasper answers, "just depends."

"Your dads a doctor right?" They ask, "what causes a doctor to move a lot?"

"We go where they need more doctors," Jasper answers, "apparently you guys were in some pretty desperate need." They chuckle.

"Yeah you can say that," They say, "we have a really small hospital so when Cassie's mom left we were down a doctor. You'd be surprised how bad losing one doctor is in a town like this."

"I can imagine," He says, "I mean it's a pretty big deal when you have one doctor."

"Tell me about it," They say.

The bell for the class rings signaling the end of school. They smile over at Jasper brightly. Then looks down to their phone. Jasper feels his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulls it out and smiles lightly.

Unknown- It's Y/n! Can't wait to get to know you

"If you need anything feel free to text me," They say.

"Hey Y/n lets go!" Some girl calls from the door.

"Yeah alright," They call to their friend then looks back to Jas, "I'll see you around Jasper."

As they move off Rose moves to Jaspers side with a smirk.

"They are cute," Rose says, "you should get on with it."

"Yeah sure," Jas says, "I'm trying okay."

The next couple days it seemed to go smoothly. They'd hang out at school text all night. It felt like everything was going right. So on Friday he decided to step it up a bit.

"Okay do you have any plans for tonight?" Jasper asks them.

"Uh no," Y/n says, "why? Wanna take me out on a date?"

"If you'll have me," He says, "a movie?"

"Sounds great," They say, "got any movie in mind?"

"I was gonna let you pick," He says. They move pulling their phone up. Then nod.

"Alright there is this horror movie called Until Sunrise and apparently its terrible," Y/n tells him, "we have to see it."

"You like horror movies?"

"I love horror movies," They tell him, "even more than that I love terrible horror movies. Ya know the ones that make you question if the writers were on bath salts while making them." He chuckles lightly. "If you don't like horror movies we have other options. But if it's just cause you're scared don't worry you can hold onto me for support."

"No that sounds great," He says, "do you need me to pick you up or do you just want to meet there?"

"We can meet. I'll see you there Jasper."

So he heads home to get ready. Explaining to his family that they were going to a movie. Bella tries to give him some tips for how modern human girls like their dates. Rose immediately tells Bella that Bella has no authority to talk because she was weird.

"I know what girls like-"

"Yeah from like 12 years ago," Rose says, "seriously think about it. Times have changed. Humans have changed since then."

"Okay so just be yourself," Alice recommends.

"He can't be himself his mate will run for the hills," Emmet says, "no you've got to be cool."

"Ignore him," Esme says, "just relax. Read the room."

"And remember to breath," Bella adds, "when you stop breathing it freaks people out. And blink."

"I remember to blink," Jasper says.

"No you really don't," Rose says, "so remember to do that."

"You should get going," Alice says, "you don't want to be late."

So He got to his car. As he drove he couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly nervous. What if he messes this up? What if he drives them away? Oh god. Suddenly his didn't know if he could go through with it anymore. But when he saw them sitting outside the theater staring up into the sky waiting patiently. It all melted away. He climbs from his car heading towards them.

"Hey Y/n," He says.

"Hey Jas," They say, "you look nice."

"Thank you," He says, "you look beautiful." They smile lightly.

"Thank you," They say, "wanna head in?" Jas nods. Y/n moves lacing her fingers in his. The movie is terrible. Honestly. The two end up laughing through most of it. However Jas being able to hold their hand. Cling to them. It makes it the best date he's ever been on. It's one of the only dates he's ever been on.

One date turns to two. Turns into dating. It's going amazing. But he feels guilty.

"You still haven't told them?" Rose asks him carefully, "Jasper you have to tell them."

"I was planning to tell them," Jasper says.

"No you weren't," Edward says.

"Get out of my head Edward," Jasper says at once, "I'm tryin it's just. I don't want to ruin this ya know."

"If you don't tell them then you'll ruin it regardless," Emmet says, "I mean you can't not tell them."

"I know I know," Jasper says, "I'll tell them soon. Tonight. We have a date."

Before they can keep hassling him he leaves to go prepare for his date. His partner had talked him into going swimming in some lake. He didn't really care much for the later but when they suggest skinny dipping well he couldn't exactly say no to that.

He meets his partner at the lake. They are already in the water. Though apparently in a swim suit. They smile widely at Jasper as he makes his way towards them.

"Hey!" They call, "I was gonna wait but the water is really nice."

They move slipping out of the water to meet Jasper. Pulling him into a soft kiss.

"Come on," They say leading him into the water. He tosses aside his shirt then kicks off his jeans. Jumping in the water in his boxers. The vampire is thankful that the lake was shallow. It only went to chest meaning no awkward sinking of being the rock solid vampire. They pull Jasper into another kiss. "I've missed you," They say as the break the kiss, "I'm not one for teen romance bullshit but... You are different."

"Well we were meant to be," Jasper says, "fate. Right Darlin?"

"Right," They say, "you are so right." They move kissing Jasper's jaw. "You are always talking about Fate. It's like you've been looking for me." They pull away from Jasper to sink into the water. Swimming away from him. Jasper smiles. If only they knew. The two move around the water playfully. He scoops his mate in his arms and playfully dunks them under the water. They come up laughing.

"Oh I'll get you for that Hale!" They scream. They splash the vampire with full force. He seems unfazed so they try again this time jumping on Jaspers back. He moves a little to roughly and knocks them back into the water. They simply laugh for a second before they make a pained face. Then suddenly the smell of blood fills Jaspers senses. "Oh shit. I think I stepped on glass." Jaspers eyes shift to black. Pain and hunger filling him. His partner climbs from the water gentle moving to their pile of clothes hoping to address the wound. Jasper stares at his mate. Trying to keep himself in the water. Trying to relax. But the smell. The bloodlust rising in his stomach.

He moves towards his partner. Jumping to pin them down. They were shocked. Confused as to why this was happening.

"Jasper what are you doing?" They ask slightly startled. They start to move. But Jaspers firm grasp keeps them pinned down. His mouth opens. His fangs showing clear as day. Y/n tenses looking at her partner in pure terror. He looks like an animal. A monster. "Jas! Jas! What are you doing?!" They are thrashing under him. Trying to push him away. "Jasper get off of me!"

Jasper leans to his mates neck. His teeth scraping lightly.

"Jasper stop! Get off me you're scaring me!"

The boy moves starting to bite but before he can sink his teeth into her he's yanked off. He see's Edward and Emmet holding him back as he growls lightly.

"Jasper! Jasper stop!" Edward yells.

But he doesn't calm down until he sees his mate in Bella's arms sobbing violently. He feels his mates terror. It's suffocating. All his hunger melts into guilt and regret. What did he just do?

"Babe," He says softly. He moves yanking away from the two men.

"Get away from me!" They shout, "I don't want you anywhere near me you freak!"

"Darlin just let me explain-"

"No Jasper we are done!" They shout, "I don't want you anywhere near me."

"Darlin I-"

"You freak!"

Disgust. Thats all that's radiating from them. He watches as Y/n leaves. Bella walking with her. He ruined it. He lost his chance at his mate. He ruined his own life. All his hope for nothing. He could hope that in time they will let him back in but his hope can't fix anything. This time- hope isn't gonna be enough.

#jasper hale x reader #Jasper hale #jasper whitlock x reader #jasper whitlock #Twilight #twilight x reader #jasper x human!reader

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fmdkiana · 4 years ago

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*youtuber vc* WHATZ up famerz. i’ve got another SICK character for you to get to know! so SMASH that follow button! MAIM me with that like!

...anyway hi i’m demi, the famed hag, and this is my fourth child (following sung, andy, n jeonghwa) her name is kiana, also goes by ki and kiki, and if that nickname brings to mind anything But kiki’s delivery service u shall b Wrong. she’s fuse’s main dancer and lead vocalist, iconic qwen. here’s her pinterest, bio, public profile, private profile, timeline [wip for links], plots, & social media [wip for insta]. i’ll leave a condensed version under ze cut <3 you can reach me easiest at fmdjoosung or demi#6468 on discord if you’d like to chat abt this girlie!

okay first things first i’m gonna nip this in the bud. if ur like excuse? iu in fuse? ur coocoo for cocoa puffs for that one. u would be right! and i intend to prove to u that she Is fitting. example a-z demonstrates an at home kiki and a fuse ki. thank me later for all this pretty laydee content

background

may 28th, 1994 ya girl is a gemini

from seattle

born to a pediatric surgeon and a software engineer (who specializes in ai bc her mom is Cool) kiana developed a love for science... then tossed it away to be A Star

not immediately though

really it all stems from the desire to be unique in a positive way

with seattle’s large east asian population, she was lumped together with everyone else, and places where she stood out, kids made fun of her for

she felt like an outcast in every sense of the word, which is why when A Boy gave her the genuine time of day, she latched on

they quickly became bad for each other, codependent at its best

kiana’s lil ass rly thought they were romeo and juliet torn apart when her parents made them break up

she kept sneaking out to see him, and eventually it became troublesome enough that her parents decided to move the fam to korea

heartbroken and with the desire to feel desired, she auditioned for gold star

since she was young, she had dance classes, just as her mom did before giving it up for something more stable

dance isn’t what drove her as much as the feeling of a crowd being entertained by her

trained for 3 years, gold star had high hopes for her given her dance background + looks, hence her role in impulse’s a

a couple years after debut, the company manages to snag her an ost, and when that does well, they shove her onto as many osts as possible, but it manages to do basically nothing to help her or fuse’s fame, no matter the impact of the song itself, and they slow down on trying

that *big bad wolf vc* my dears, is what sets up her overall Thing, that no matter what she does, or how many people claim to love her, they don’t show up for her as a solo celebrity

it leaves her a little dejected, fearful, worried, but idol life isn’t something she minds doing anyway. part of her still wants to strive for more attention, and claw her way there, because she aches terribly to feel special and different, and to a degree, idol life will always give that to her

personality

the archetype of the kid in middle school who calls themselves L and only draws in anime style and comes to school in cosplay and naruto runs around and randomly speaks japanese........ yeah, that was kiana as a kid

and really, she’s only let the problematic parts of it go. she’s still a big fat weeb (& has lots of other fandom type interests too)

an internet kid, someone who never got a big following. draws fanart, has written fanfiction, engages on fan forums. stays at home unless she’s dragged out by friends

she’s a very Normal, Everyday type person in most ways, and that bugs her to no end

she’s someone who as a kid thought she had superpowers, like full on believed it, and to this day still thinks well maybe it’s just not kicked in yet

considers herself ~an empath~ because she naturally has very strong emotions, and seeing or “feeling” the emotions of others makes her feel that way too. that includes positive And negative emotions

she can and is wrong about what she “feels” from others, but the emotional effect on herself is still the same

and because that happens so much, kiana retreats into herself

she has a very small inner circle, and isn’t very interested in more than surface level relationships with most people because it’s exhausting to feel so much all of the time

that means usually, most people meeting her will meet someone who can be doin a little doodle, you’ll say hi, she’ll say hi back, then go right back to her doodle

she’s Nice and polite enough, but doesn’t take those first steps. some ppl might view her coldly bc of it

HOWEVA if someone were to bring up one of her ~special interests, she would come off like a completely different person

animated, kinda loud, won’t shut up. that’s more often the type of person her inner circle gets to see

she’s also a reversal of the hard shell soft inside trope, as a lot of her outward self and personality can seem soft, gentle, maybe even naive depending on someone’s view, but there is a core to her affection thats... dangerous

but i’ll leave that for the dms

and finally, here’s a phat list of personality traits that apply to kiana, depending on her relationships with who she’s talking to and how she’s feeling. yes some are complete opposites. see: gemini. if you wanna kno how to get a certain trait from her, i’ll be glad to explain

abnormal, apathetic, artistic, clingy, contradictory, dedicated, demure, disorganized, earnest, effeminate, emotional, empathetic, excitable, fanatical, guarded, hesitant, insecure, introverted, jealous, loyal, mercurial, modest, neat, needy, nervous, numb, obsessive, organized, overthinking, passionate, persevering, protective, quiet, romantic, scatterbrained, silly, stubborn, tactful, temperamental, vigilant, vivacious, volatile, wall flower, withdrawn

fun fax

claims her style inspiration is the 70s but really mixes in influences from ~the 40s to 80s

if she’s dressing herself, heavily prefers skirts and dresses over pants

doesn’t like being touched unless she’s really close with someone, then she likes a lot of it

plant mom. apartment basc a greenhouse

insists one day she will make her own jam but has yet to get around to it so she just has a bunch of jars in her apartment and uses them for plants and paper clip holders and the like

her fictional character romantic Type is the tsundere. is convinced fictional characters are the best dating partners

always wears glasses when at home, and a good amount of the time when not working in general

her mario kart main is link bc nostalgia and valuing a strong stat set that favors zoom zoom

the furthest she goes for environmental impact is always using a hydroflask

prefers having bangs and hair with a wave

always carries bandaids and bandages in her bag because she gets eczema patches when she’s stressed and it’s Embarrassing to her so she covers em up

#fmdintro #'condensed' i say #tbf this muse is well over a year old i just have a lot to say abt her #i luv her v much

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fvckyouimaprophet · 4 years ago

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nobody loves me (like you do)

Summary: Everybody has a TiMER on their wrist which counts down to the moment they meet their soulmate. When Remus's goes black at 16, he knows it must mean his soulmate died.

Cue Sirius Black, entering his life like a whirlwind. It's just too bad that he has a TiMER.

Find it here on AO3.

Author’s Note: For @starstruck4moony, whose Wolfstar content keeps me going. ✌️

Remus is lying in the grass in the park, laughing with Lily about something their maths teacher said last week when his TiMER lets out a low, long beep. He blinks slowly and sits up, for a moment unsure that the noise is even coming from him.

“What is it?” Lily asks.

The second that Remus lifts his sleeve and stares at his wrist, everything changes. His chest tightens, and his fingers dig into the ground as he attempts to steady himself. The murmur of the parkgoers is replaced by a ringing in his ears, and it takes him a minute to catch his breath.

Lily’s hand on his shoulder startles him, and he jumps and looks at her with wide, panicked eyes. “Remus, you’re scaring me,” she says.

“My TiMER.” He shows her his wrist, and her face blanches with horror. “It’s gone blank.”

- - -

Graduating from secondary school and heading off to uni feels like a relief. Remus takes his TiMER off the summer before he leaves. He’s tired of the pitying looks from others. After all, if his TiMER has gone blank at sixteen, it’s almost guaranteed to mean that his soulmate has died.

He had been so close—two years away from meeting whoever it was. His and Lily’s TiMERs had been separated by mere days. They always joked that their friendship had been predetermined, and that was yet another sign of how similar they were.

He makes Lily promise not to tell anyone that his TiMER had gone blank. “I want a fresh start,” he says. “I’m going to tell them that I chose to take it off.” Remus can see Lily’s hesitation. She presses her lips tightly together, and her brow furrows, but she nods.

“If that’ll help,” she says.

“It will.” Remus smiles at her, and her face softens.

His flatmate, Peter, is studying Environmental Science and has a keen interest in entomology. “I promise not to get a pet tarantula,” Peter says. Despite the shyness to his tone, it’s clearly meant to be a joke, and Remus laughs. Peter’s face immediately brightens, and he grins back.

They talk about their experiences growing up as they unpack and the novelty of being away from home. They’ve nearly finished when Peter broaches the subject of the TiMER, lamenting that he has another sixteen years before he’s set to meet his soulmate. “What about you?”

Remus falters as his lamp slips a little in his hand. He quickly sets it down and keeps his back facing away from Peter as he answers, trying to compose himself.

“I got mine removed,” he says, and he hopes that Peter can’t hear the tightness in his voice. His heart pounds in his ears, and he takes a steadying breath before turning around.

“Why on earth would you do that?” Peter asks. He stops what he’s doing as he gapes at Remus.

As best as he can, he lifts his chin defiantly and does his best to look as if he’s uninterested in the topic. “I’m not into the idea of a predetermined fate. I mean, who’s to say we only have one soulmate? Why shouldn’t we get a choice in it.”

Peter’s eyes widen, and his jaw goes slack, and Remus is certain that despite the incredulous look on his face, there’s something bordering on admiration in his expression as well. “You really think that?” Peter asks, his voice a whisper.

“People fall in love all the time while they’re waiting for their soulmate. Maybe the only reason those relationships don’t stand a chance is because everybody just assumes they’re going to fail because the TiMER says so.” His voice sounds oddly assured, even to himself, and it’s enough to allow him to stand straighter. “I don’t want a piece of technology determining my whole life path. I want to be able to be with the person I want.”

For a moment, the words feel curiously liberating, but then Peter’s eyes get cloudy again—lost in thought—and he can feel it slipping away. “I wish I could be that brave,” Peter says. “But there’s something reassuring about knowing that there’s a relationship you can’t fuck up. Someone who’s sure to like you.”

It’s not quite that simple, and if he had a TiMER, Remus knows that he’d push back. After all, a soulmate isn’t a guarantee for life. It’s a promise that this person is as compatible with you as a person can be. There’s always room for human error.

He doesn’t have that guarantee anymore for compatibility, and the thought of relying on his own instincts terrifies him. Besides, he’s certain that no one with a TiMER would forsake the possibility of happiness in the name of free will—as vague as that is.

Remus shrugs and does his best to look bored by the topic, hoping that will nudge Peter to change topics. “I guess.”

Peter bites his lip and looks at what remains for them to unpack. “Want to grab a bite to eat before we finish up?”

Remus sighs, relieved. “Sounds great.”

- - -

Lily’s TiMER goes off two months after the start of the semester at a cafe. “My coffee went cold,” she says to Remus as they sit in the quad, their books for Topics in Medieval Latin Literature sprawled out in front of them, untouched. “I was staring at my wrist, watching the TiMER count down. He walked in, and they both started to go off. Honestly, he’s nothing like I imagined him.” She frowns slightly as she thinks back. “He seems a bit arrogant. But we’re going to talk more tonight. He had to run to class. It was awful timing, really.”

“Tell me more about him,” Remus says.

Lily glances around them before leaning in and asking in a hushed whisper, “Are you sure? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“You met your soulmate today, Lily,” Remus rolls his eyes. “I’d be a prick not to want to hear about it.”

She narrows her eyes, but Remus meets her gaze openly. She lets out a small hum, satisfied that Remus isn’t lying for her benefit, and continues. “He told me his full name—James Potter. Let me see if I can find him.” It takes her less than three minutes on her phone before she lets out a triumphant ha.

The Facebook profile photo has two men in it. The one closer to the camera has short, messy black hair, glasses, and a red Liverpool jersey. He laughs, visibly drunk. The other looks purposefully disinterested, cigarette dangling from his lips as he throws up his middle finger at the person behind the camera. Despite the try-hard air that the other man exudes, Remus can’t help but stare.

He blinks, shaking himself out of it and hands the phone back to Lily. “Which one is he?”

“Oh, right. James is the one in the Liverpool jersey. The other one’s his flatmate, Sirius—I think. He was with James when I met him.” She taps on the photo and nods. “Yeah, he’s tagged in this. Sirius Black.”

Remus files that information for later and focuses back on James. “He’s cute.”

Lily looks back down at the phone. “He is, isn’t he?” When she sets down her phone, Remus can tell her mind is elsewhere, and he closes the textbook in front of him, certain that there is no chance of getting work done until Lily leaves. “I barely asked him anything about himself before he had to run off. He said that he hadn’t even realized that his TiMER was supposed to go off then, but I feel like he was just saying that because he didn’t want to seem too eager. Isn’t that odd? Why would he think that makes him look cool?”

Remus laughs. “Sounds like you’re going to have your hands full with this one.”

- - -

Remus counts down the days to when his TiMER is supposed to go off. He has the date memorized two years later, and the closer it gets, the heavier the feeling on his chest is. He’s thankful that it’s on a Saturday and is even more grateful when Peter announces that he’s going home for the weekend to visit his parents.

He skips class on Thursday and Friday, and if Peter notices, he doesn’t ask. Instead, he opts to stay in their dorm. He can hardly bear the thought of interacting with other people and ignores Lily’s calls and texts until Friday night.

Lily (19:06) If you don’t text me back, I’m finding a way to break in.

Remus (19:08) I’m fine. I’ve just been sick. Flu or something.

It’s a bad lie, and he knows it, but Lily doesn’t call him on his bluff.

Lily (19:11) Fuck soulmates anyway. James keeps trying to woo me in weird ways. He’s half a step away from showing up on the quad with his guitar and play Wonderwall.

The text makes Remus laugh, and he pulls himself up off of the couch in their room and looks at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes look like bruises, and his hair is tangled nest on top of his head from not showering. He runs his fingers through it, wincing when they catch.

Lily (19:14) Maybe your soulmate also removed their TiMER.

It’s a possibility they’ve discussed before, but it seems unlikely. Besides, without a TiMER to guide him, any person he passes tomorrow could potentially be it. He could pass them by without realizing, neither the wiser. The thought makes him shrink into himself.

Remus (19:16) I think I’m going to stay inside tomorrow. If you’re right, it won’t matter. I’ll meet them one way or another.

Lily (19:20) Can I hang out with you? I have a date with James in the evening, but I just hate the thought of you moping around. We can watch Golden Girls, and I’ll bring the 🌿.

Remus (19:24) Well, that’s practically cheating, but fine. You win.

With Lily there, the day would go by faster. Besides, he’s been meaning to hear about how Lily’s date with James went on Wednesday. Remus smiles tiredly and looks around the room. If nothing else, Remus tells himself that this will be a good excuse to force himself to clean up and shower.

- - -

Lily sighs before reaching over to the bowl of popcorn and tossing a few kernels into her mouth. “I feel like I definitely have to go support him at his races. I still can’t believe he rows.” As much as she’s acting like it’s a chore, Remus is certain that when the times comes, she’ll get wrapped up into the race. He’s seen it before during football matches that come on when they’re at the pub.

“You already seem a little softer on him than you did earlier this week,” Remus comments, and Lily’s cheeks turn slightly pink, and she tucks her hair behind her ear as she purses her lips and thinks.

“There are moments when he stops making an endless stream of jokes and just slows down, and it feels like we’re getting somewhere,” she says. “He told me more about his family. He’s really close with them. We stayed up until three the other day just talking.” A small smile tugs up on Lily’s lips, but before she can say more, she waves her hand dismissively. “Anyway, do you want to roll up and get back to the episode?”

Remus knows that she’s holding back for his sake, but the stubborn look behind her eyes lets him know that he’s not going to get much more out of her today. Before he can respond, however, her phone vibrates.

Her brow furrows, and she chews on her lower lip. “Everything okay?” Remus asks.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” She sets it down and looks at Remus. “James wants to stop by and meet you before our date. I was just going to tell him that it’s a bad time and some other day, so you don’t have—”

“No, I’d like that,” Remus says, surprising even himself.

“Are you sure?”

“You’re giving me crumbs here. Honestly, I can’t believe I haven’t met the guy yet.”

“He won’t be here for another hour or so. You don’t have to say yes.” Her eyes search Remus’s face, trying to find some sort of confirmation that this won’t send him spiraling again, and he reaches out and places a hand on her forearm and squeezes.

“Lils, yesterday, I couldn’t imagine getting through the day. I have been dreading this day for two fucking years. But it’s here, and the world didn’t end.” His eyes burn, and he pauses to take a steadying breath. Lily squeezes his forearm back and offers a reassuring smile. “I still feel like shit, but if you’ve met the guy you’re probably going to spend the rest of your life with, I want to know him.”

Lily tosses her arms around Remus, and Remus feels his resolve crumble. He buries his head in the crook of her neck, and when he starts to shake, her hands tighten around him until he can barely breathe. They sit there like that for minutes, saying nothing. Remus cries until he feels depleted. “It’s not fucking fair,” he chokes out and hangs limply against her as she rocks him.

“I know.”

When they pull apart, he excuses himself and steps over to the sink. He splashes the water on his face and stares at himself at the mirror above the sink—eyes puffy and red and splotchy cheeks. For a moment, he doesn’t feel present in his own body. He stares, oddly disconnected from the person that stares back.

“You okay?” Lily’s voice jars him, and he blinks several times as he settles back into himself.

“Fine,” he says. He wipes his face with a towel and moves back over to sit next to Lily. “Need help rolling up?”

“Between the two of us, you know I’m better at it, right?” She grins and nudges his shoulder, and Remus goes with it.

Forty minutes later, they’re floating when there’s a knock on the door. They startle, and Lily checks her phone. “It’s James. He called me ten minutes ago.” The look at each other and burst out laughing.

Remus stands up and smooths down his shirt before opening the door to his dorm room. Next to James is the boy from the profile photo—Sirius. Remus swallows, suddenly aware of how dry his mouth is—from the weed, no doubt—and steps to the side. Over his shoulder, Lily spots Sirius as well and groans.

“Don’t worry,” Sirius says, though his eyes don’t leave Remus’s face. “I’m not crashing your date, Evans. I just came here to meet your famous hermit friend, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“I’m not a hermit,” Remus says and flushes.

“We’ll see about that.” He winks as he brushes past James and steps into the apartment.

Only then does it hit Remus that he’s yet to introduce himself to James. He sticks his hand out, and James laughs. “Sorry, I probably should invite you in or something,” he says, aware of the bemused look on James’s face.

James shakes his hand and steps in as well. “You can smell what you two are up to down the hall. No need to apologize.” He turns to look at Lily. “Didn’t know you were such a rulebreaker.” There’s a thrilled edge to his voice, and Remus glances away from them to give them privacy.

He settles on Sirius, who seems to be too busy looking around the dorm room to notice. He’s wearing all-black—a tight black shirt that hugs his shoulders. Any self-restraint he might have otherwise had has disappeared in the fog from the weed, and Lily’s text from yesterday flashes in his head.

Maybe your soulmate also removed their TiMER.

His eyes drop down to Sirius’s wrist, and his chest tightens. The TiMER is clearly visible on his right wrist. He does his best to ignore the growing ball of disappointment in his stomach and turns his attention back to James and Lily.

Despite her put-on attempts to look blasé, Lily leans forward, eyes fixed on James. Remus knows her well enough to know when she’s biting back a smile. She remains oblivious to the fact that they’re being watched—enthralled in her conversation with James—until Sirius speaks.

“Why do you have this?”

They all turn to look. He’s holding a glass globe with a large, metallic beetle suspended in the middle. His fingers tighten around the glass, and when his hand flexes, Remus feels his heart speed up.

“My flatmate is interested in insects,” Remus says and rubs the back of his neck. “He told me the name, but I don’t really remember.”

“I guess it’s better than an ant farm,” James says. “Those things creep me out. I mean, what if the glass shatters? Then you just have hundreds of ants everywhere.” He automatically scratches his arm.

“It’s kind of cool,” Sirius says. He looks at it for another moment before setting it down carefully back on its stand. “So, he’s the bug guy. What are you interested in?”

“Nothing too interesting.”

Lily scoffs from the couch. “You don’t need to pretend to be modest, Remus.” When Remus says nothing, she continues. “Remus is getting a joint honours degree in Astrophysics and Classics."

“Wow, Lily told me you were smart, but she didn’t tell me you were a fucking genius.” James lets out a low whistle.

Remus laughs and feels heat crawl up from his neck to his cheeks. “It’s not nearly as interesting as it sounds.”

“Why both of those?” Sirius asks from behind him.

“I think it’s interesting to see how other civilizations saw and responded to the world around them—how they tried to make sense of it. I’m especially interested in mythologies and how they create meaning in the unknowable. Sometimes it feels like we’re doing that with the universe too.” He wonders whether the answer is too much and chuckles awkwardly. “Or maybe that all sounds really pretentious.”

James shakes his head. “Hey, if you got it all figured out, more power to you.”

“Plus, I think it was a little predestined when your parents called you Remus,” Sirius adds.

Remus glances at Sirius over his shoulder, but Sirius is already looking elsewhere around the room, flipping through Peter’s DVD collection. “What about you?” he asks James.

“If we’re talking about uni, then Psychology, but I also row.”

Remus bites back a smirk when Lily’s eyes meet his. “Lily’s mentioned you’re on the team.”

James visibly puffs up and grins at Lily. “Did she?”

“Something like that,” Lily says. “You have mentioned it once or twice.”

“Just wait until you go punting with him,” Sirius says. “He’ll find a way to make it competitive. He always does.”

James scowls. “Well, on that note, we’re going to head off.” He turns and looks at Lily. “If you’re ready?”

She stands up and grabs her backpack. “I think I’m good to go.” It takes her a minute to make sure that she’s not leaving anything behind, and then she steps over Remus and pulls him into a tight hug. “You gonna be okay?” she asks, voice low so that only Remus can here.

Remus nods against her before whispering back, “Thank you.” She squeezes tighter before dropping her arms and giving him one last reassuring look. The knowledge that he will alone again hits him, and Remus swallows thickly and hopes his face doesn’t betray the growing gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“It was great to meet you,” James says as he steps forward. He throws open both arms for a hug. “Is that okay? I feel like we’re going to be good friends.” The way he says it, so matter-of-fact, makes Remus believe him, and he steps forward into the hug.

“It was great to meet you too,” he says.

James grins and looks over at Sirius. “You headed back, mate?”

Sirius glances over at Remus for a moment. “Mind if I stay a little longer? You can feel free to say no and kick me out if I’m overstepping,” he says.

Remus shakes his head as a feeling of relief washes over him. His thoughts haven’t been kind to him lately, and he’ll take the excuse to delay sitting alone with them again. “Not at all.”

“Well, you two enjoy,” James says, and with one final wave from Lily, they leave, door shutting behind them.

“Not that I mind, but why?” Remus asks. “You look like someone who has places to be on a Saturday night.” With that, he navigates himself back over to the couch and sits down.

Sirius laughs, loud and unrestrained. “Well, I’m more of a social smoker,” he says, pulling out a Ziploc bag from his back pocket. “And I saw you were watching Golden Girls, and if you add some butter chicken in there, it doesn’t sound like a half-bad way to spend a Saturday night.” He pauses, and his eyes narrow slightly as he considers his next words. After a few seconds, he adds, “Plus, not to be presumptuous, but you look like you could use a friend right now.”

It’s unnervingly perceptive considering that Sirius has spent the last fifteen minutes flipping through objects around the room. Before he can respond, however, Sirius sits down next to him and pulls out his phone.

“There’s a great Indian place around here that delivers. My treat if you roll up.” He tosses Remus the bag without looking up, and Remus smiles. By the time he has a workable joint, Sirius has ordered them food and has scrolled through the list of episodes to find one he likes.

“So, what are you studying?” Remus asks as he hands it Sirius along with a lighter.

“Literature, with a focus on creative writing.”

“Any particular time period?” he asks, but he shakes his head when Sirius opens his mouth. “Wait, I bet I can guess what kind of literature you’re interested in.”

Sirius raises an eyebrow. “You haven’t even known me for an hour, and you think you have me pinned down? Tell me, what do you think I’m into?”

“Gothic literature. Maybe Oscar Wilde too.”

The silence tells him that he’s guessed right. For the first time, Remus senses a crack in the unmoved, pristine image Sirius has put together. Nonetheless, Sirius manages to compose himself and straightens his back, though his cheeks remain flushed. “I’m keeping my eye on you, Lupin.”

“Picture of Dorian Gray?” Remus asks, and Sirius’s scowl deepens. “Oh, I’m too good.”

“It’s a great book!”

“Oh, I agree. One of my favorites too.” At that, Sirius’s face brightens, and he tilts his head as he takes in Remus. Remus waits for the comment, but it never comes. Instead, Sirius hits play on the episode and moves, almost imperceptibly, closer to Remus as he lights up the joint.

- - -

It’s pouring rain when it hits midnight. James lets out a loud whoop and pulls Lily into a hug, spinning her around in a circle. Remus clinks his bottle with Peter and Sirius’s, and they down their drinks.

“Happy New Year,” Peter says as he holds a hand above his head, as if to block out the rain. He frowns and squares his shoulders.

“You want to go back in?” Remus asks, and Peter, after looking around guiltily, nods.

“We’re going to head back in and dry off,” Remus says to James and Lily. Lily pushes against James’s chest and pulls back from kissing him to give Remus a sheepish grin.

“Happy Near Year, Remus,” she says, and Remus steps forward to give her a hug, ignoring the huff he earns from James.

“Mind if I join you?” Sirius asks.

“Not at all,” Remus says. He hugs James as well, as does Sirius, and they make their way off towards campus.

“It’s cold,” Peter says after a moment. Remus meets Sirius’s eyes and bites back a laugh. He’s not wrong. Remus can hardly feel his toes, and his coat will take days to dry. But he can’t find it in himself to care.

“If you complain now you’re going to bring yourself bad luck for the whole year,” Sirius says, and Peter scowls.

“Next year, I hope we watch the countdown on the telly.”

“Aren’t you a bundle of fun?” Remus wraps an arm around Peter as the walk. “We’re almost there anyway.”

Soon enough, they make it back. The campus is mostly empty and eerily quiet, and they manage to make it upstairs without running into anyone. They stumble into their room, and Remus lets out a satisfied groan as soon as he walks into their room and is hit in the face with a wave of heat. Before Remus has had a chance to hang up his coat and place his shoes in a corner, Peter disappears to change.

“So, do we think James and Lily are going to turn to giant ice sculptures glued at the face?” Sirius asks.

Remus laughs as he grabs two sets of clothes. “Here.” He hands Sirius a set, and Sirius gives him a warm smile. “The joggers might be a little long, but they should work.”

“Thanks.” Without missing a beat, Sirius turns and pulls his shirt off. From this angle, Remus can only see the profile of his face, hair stuck to it. He does his best not to stare, but his eyes drift lower to his shoulders and his back, watching the way they move as Sirius grabs the dry shirt and starts to put it on.

“I’m going to go take a quick shower if that’s okay,” Remus says, pulling his eyes away before Sirius starts to change his pants.

“Take your time,” Sirius calls back to him.

Remus stands under the water until he can feel himself thaw out but makes quick work cleaning himself and washing his hair. Every time he closes his eyes, he can picture Sirius standing drenched in his room, and he swallows thickly, trying to ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

By the time he makes it back—no more than fifteen minutes later—Sirius presses his finger to his lips and points over at Peter, fast asleep on his bed. He grabs them each a hoodie and a beer from the minifridge, and they move to the hallway.

They walk over to the stairs and sit down. They sit, bodies half-turned and legs pressed up against each other in the narrow space, yet Remus feels oddly comfortable despite it. Sirius uses his lighter to open both bottles and leans back. “So, dare I ask—any resolutions this year?”

Remus laughs. “Fuck, I hadn’t even considered.” He shakes his head. “Get back to me in a few days.”

“That’s not how resolutions work,” Sirius says and takes a swig from his beer.

“I didn’t know you were the expert.” Remus wraps both hands around the bottle and leans his head back. “What about you?”

“Finish writing a book I’ve been working on,” Sirius says immediately. “I’ve been working on it for years. I always mean to, but you know how those things are.” He shrugs. “Maybe reconnect with my brother, but that’s another conversation. Other than that, have more fun. Sleep less. Drink more.” It’s a clear deflection away from earnestness, but Remus grants it to him.

“I’m sure you’ll finish it,” is all he says.

Silence falls between them for a minute, and Sirius clears his throat. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“What’s the deal with your TiMER? I asked Lily once, and she said it was none of my fucking business, and then when I asked Peter, he said you were making some sort of statement.” Remus startles, surprised that it’s never come up with Sirius before. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Sirius says.

“No, that’s not it. I guess I just assumed we talked about it at some point.” He takes a long drink from his beer and considers telling Sirius the truth.

“Peter said it was something about free choice.

Or not. Remus hopes his smile doesn’t look as strained as it feels. “Something like that,” he says and takes another sip to stall, ignoring the dip in his stomach. The last thing he wants is for Sirius to look at him differently.

“You’re really going for an air of mystery, aren’t you?”

Remus chuckles. The story comes to him naturally now. He’s perfected the art of telling it—not too impassioned or detailed but not too detached either. “I took it off when I turned eighteen. I decided I didn’t want someone else to tell me how I should live my life. So many people’s lives don’t begin until their TiMER beeps. I don’t want that.”

“Tell me more.”

“It’s just—why should the cosmic powers that be get to decide who you end up with? How is that fair? Maybe you can have a shot at really loving someone else, and maybe it’ll be imperfect, but you chose it, and isn’t that better?” The breath knocks out of him, and he feels his eyes water. It hasn’t felt fair for two years now, he wants to tell Sirius.

No one wants to give up on their soulmate. In the end, after all the short-term relationships are over, all it leaves him with are the other people who have also had their destiny taken from them. That’s doesn’t feel like a choice. It feels like surviving.

Sirius tilts his head and stares at Remus, his expression inscrutable. “Huh.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Remus squeezes one hand into a fist in his lap, and a wave of anger hits him. “Huh.” He repeats Sirius, his tone sharp and hard.

Sirius’s expression doesn’t change. “It just doesn’t seem like you.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think you believe everything you’re saying. Hell, I do too. You just don’t seem like you’d be the type of person who’d take off your TiMER as a matter of principle.”

Remus is about to confess when they hear voices near the bottom of the staircase. They both scramble to get up and step out of the way as two other men walk past them. “Happy New Year,” one of them says.

“Happy New Year,” Sirius says and waves. As soon as they pass, he turns to face Remus again. “That was rude. I don’t know why I’m questioning you. I believe that you removed it out of choice. I guess I just—” He shakes his head. “Sorry.”

When he nudges Remus’s arm with his shoulder, Remus sucks in a sharp breath and tries to discern whether the feeling in the pit of his stomach is relief or disappointment.

“Don’t worry about it,” he says, and they settle back down and continue to drink.

- - -

They decide to celebrate their move off-campus their second year with a marathon of Lord of the Rings. They don’t get started until late in the afternoon, and by one in the morning, they are nearly halfway through The Return of the King.

“I’m pausing this so I can grab some snacks,” Sirius says and picks up the remote.

“You’re disrespecting the scene!” Peter says and leans back in his spot on the couch. “C’mon.”

“Anybody need anything?” Sirius glances around the room, purposefully skipping Peter.

“I’ll take some more Jaffa Cakes if you have them,” James says.

“Have any more Jammie Dodgers?” Lily asks.

Remus stands up automatically. “Let me help you.” They walk quietly to the kitchen, and Remus leans against the doorframe as his eyes drift shut. “I’m so tired from unpacking. All I want to do is sleep. If I didn’t think Peter would kill us, I’d see if we could finish the movie tomorrow.”

“You want tea?”

Although it sounds appealing, Remus knows it’s too late for a coffee. With a sigh, he concedes. “Tea sounds great.”

“Let me see if anybody else wants any.”

Remus closes his eyes. Sirius’s footsteps pass right by him, followed by the muffled, distant sounds of conversation. He’s started to drift when Sirius sets a hand on his shoulder. “M’ awake,” Remus says, though he doesn’t open his eyes.

“No cream one sugar?” Sirius asks, and Remus nods.

“How’s Benjy?”

“I have no clue. We broke up yesterday.”

It’s enough to jar Remus to open his eyes. He straightens his back and clears his throat before asking anything. “What happened?”

“I mean, obviously we’re not soulmates,” Sirius says, waving the active TiMER on his wrist. “But also, it just felt like more of a summer thing.” He shrugs. “He didn’t seem particularly devastated either."

“So, he was a little devastated?”

Sirius grins. “He also seemed to be bored with it. Is that better, you pedant?”

“Much, thanks,” Remus teases back.

“Well, you certainly seem less likely to pass out now than you did three minutes ago.” Remus winces, but Sirius laughs before he can apologize. “It’s not a knock.”

There’s a glint in Sirius’s eye, and it’s enough to pull him out of any remaining drowsiness. His breath quickens, and he peels himself off of the doorframe and takes a step towards Sirius. Sirius does nothing to stop him, and it’s all the encouragement Remus needs. He closes the gap with one more step and cups Sirius’s cheek in his hands.

Sirius’s fingers close around his shirt in a tight fist, and Remus sighs against Sirius’s mouth, his lips falling open. It’s the only invitation that Sirius needs to deepen the kiss, and he worries Remus’s lower lip between his teeth and pulls Remus close until they’re flush against each other. His heart beats in his throat, so hard that Remus is certain that Sirius must feel it in their kiss. Although his hands are shaking, he drops one to the back of Sirius’s neck, and his thumb runs up along his hairline. When Sirius shivers, Remus feels dizzy.

“Hey guys,” James calls out, his voice alarmingly close. They pull apart just as James rounds the corner. “I changed my mind. I want tea too.” If James notices anything, he hides it remarkably well. He moves past them and grabs the Jaffa Cakes and Jammie Dodgers off of the counter. “Getting peckish,” he says as an explanation and disappears again.

Remus finally takes the deep, shaky breath he’s been holding been, and he grip the counter behind him until he’s sure his knuckles turn white. When Sirius doesn’t meet his eyes, Remus’s stomach drops. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” he says, and Sirius’s head snaps up.

“Are you kidding? You didn’t do anything.” Despite himself, Remus’s gaze moves up when Sirius runs a hand through his hair. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

If neither wants to apologize, Remus wants to ask what’s wrong about it. But the tea kettle clicks as the water finishes boiling, and the wave of exhaustion that hits him again reminds him that perhaps his judgment isn’t as sound as it should be for something he can’t take back. After a moment, Sirius nods, and Remus wonders whether the disappointed look he sees in Sirius eyes is just wishful thinking.

- - -

Remus stumbles his way into dating Edgar Bones in his third year. Although he’s also completing a Classics degree, they haven’t had a class together since their first year. After a month of striking up a conversation before the start of each Travelers to Byzantium class, Remus asks him out.

He’s not the first person that Remus has hooked up with. That title goes to Mary Macdonald when he was seventeen. But Edgar is the first person he dates.

Edgar doesn’t have a TiMER on his wrist. His family doesn’t believe in forcing it upon them—believes it should be a choice. Everyone in his family is given the option to implant one once they turn eighteen. “I didn’t see the need to get one by then,” he explains with a small shrug. “So much of the soulmate thing feels like a frame of mind. My parents didn’t have them, and they’re happier than some couples who found each other with their TiMERS.”

Dating Edgar feels familiar right away. They get caught up in long conversations about why Anne Carson’s If Not, Winter is the best translation of Sappho at one in the morning. And when Edgar shows him his prized possession—both volumes of The Atlas of Ancient Rome—they spend the next four hours leafing through maps and relating it to things they’ve discussed in other classes.

“Hello, earth to Remus?” Sirius asks. “Did you hear anything I’ve said for the last two minutes?”

Remus blinks slowly and does his best to put together the bits and pieces he picked up on. “You’re worried that Caradoc is going to ask you to meet his parents,” he says, although it comes out as more of a question.

Sirius sighs. “He already asked me. I’m just worried he’s up here, and I’m down there.” Sirius one hand above his head and the other on the table as he speaks. “You really weren’t paying attention, were you?”

“Edgar and I going on a double date with Frank and Alice tomorrow, and I realized that I hadn’t made the reservation yet.” The frustration is obvious on Sirius’s face, and he folds in slightly, feeling guilty. “Sorry I’ve been so spacey.”

Sirius’s face softens a little, and he reaches out and squeezes Remus’s hand. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Want to get the reservation out of the way?” Remus nods and pulls out his phone. “So, you’re kinda on the opposite page with Edgar then?”

Remus laughs. “I guess. I met his parents on Boxing Day.” For the first time, it strikes Remus that the relationship has progressed past anything casual. “How seriously do you think he’s taking this?”

Sirius’s pulls the hair tie out of his hair before pulling it back up in a tighter bun. When he’s done, his hand drops to the table, and he fiddles with the edge of his book. “Do you see it as serious?” Sirius won’t quite meet his gaze, and Remus frowns, unsure where the sudden timidity is coming from.

He considers for a moment before responding. “I suppose somewhere in between. I really like him, but—” Remus cuts off, uncertain what he trying to say. “There’s nothing specific. He does make me happy.” He bites his tongue before another “but” comes out. It’s not that he even knows what comes after it. On paper, Edgar is everything he wants. He makes him laugh, he’s earnest, and he approaches things wholeheartedly and without restraint.

“It’s okay if you don’t really have an answer,” Sirius says, and Remus can’t help but wonder if that’s an answer in itself. The question hardly has time to linger before Sirius straightens himself in his chair and continues, “Frank and Alice, though. What do you think about that?”

“Sirius, it’s not nice to talk about it behind their backs.”

“Remus,” Sirius repeats, in the same scolding tone, “They openly talk about it. You’re the one acting like it’s bad.”

“I don’t think it’s bad!” It comes out louder than he intends it to, and people at the nearby tables stare at them. The librarian looks over as well, and Remus shrinks in his chair and tries to look studious until he sees her look away from the corner of his eyes. “Their TiMERs matched when they were nine. I didn’t have a concept of ‘the rest of my life’ meant at nine. I don’t think I do now,” he whispers.

“I asked them once what it was like meeting their soulmate that young,” Sirius says, and Remus gapes.

“You just asked them?” When Sirius says nothing, Remus bites the inside of his cheek, curiosity getting the better of him. “Oh, alright, what did they say?”

“You know you’re just as much of a gossip as I am,” Sirius says, nudging Remus under the table with his foot. A small thrill goes through him, and he scoots to the edge of his chair and leans his lower calf against Sirius’s.

“Maybe.” Half a minute passes, and Sirius says nothing. “And?”

“And what?” The second the question passes his lips, he realizes, and he pulls back his leg and shakes his head. “Oh, right. Well, first Alice said that everybody thinks it, and even though it was rude, she appreciated my bluntness.” He grins, amused by his own actions. “And then they said they didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know?”

“Well, they said they were so young when it happened that it was always kind of the normal. Same way we can’t imagine them, they can’t imagine us.” He shrugs. “Made sense to me. They also said they couldn’t imagine trusting anyone more than they trust each other.”

“Wonder what that’s like,” Remus says, dropping his attention to his sweater and fixing the sleeve.

“I don’t. I have you.”

“What about James?”

“I love him to death, and he’s loyal to a fault, but his pranks sometimes get the better of him.”

“You’re involved with most of them!” Remus hisses, and Sirius smirks in response. “Besides, I trust you too, but that’s different.”

“And how so?” Sirius crosses his arms over his chest, and a small crease appears between his eyes.

“You’re my best friend. They’re soulmates.”

Sirius’s eyes harden, and for a moment, he’s sure he’s said the wrong thing, though he’s not sure how. His stomach drops out from underneath him, and he worries his lower lip between his teeth.

But the moment passes. Although he remains slightly stiff, Sirius rolls his eyes, and he nudges Remus’s foot with his again. “So, if I tell you about Caradoc, do you think you can actually listen this time?” he asks.

“I’ll try my best.

- - -

When he graduates, Remus moves to London to get his doctorate in Astrophysics at University College London. “Mind if I join?” Sirius asks, and Remus feels a wave of relief.

Sirius gets a job at a nearby coffeeshop and another working as a part-time editor at a small publishing company, and Remus dives into classes. Even though they live together, the year of classes leaves him exhausted and busy.

Sirius (17:23) I miss you. 😭 You, me, and E tonight?

Remus laughs as he walks toward the Euston Square tube station and texts Sirius back.

Remus (17:26) Sounds perfect.

The pizza he orders arrives before he does, and when he gets home, Sirius greets him holding a half-eaten slice in one hand. “You should surprise order pizza more often,” Sirius says. “I was just thinking about how hungry I was when the buzzer went off. Truly serendipitous.” He grins, wide and dog-like, and Remus laughs.

“I’m glad it hit the spot.” The moment he’s rid himself of his bag and washed his hands, Remus dives in as well. It doesn’t take them long to eat, but by the time they’ve finished, Remus has gotten so caught up in the conversation that it startles him when Sirius pulls out a small bag with two pills.

“Teddy bears. Aren’t they cute?” Sirius asks as he dangles it in front of Remus. When Sirius pulls them out of the bag and hands him one, Remus can see the pill more clearly—purple and slightly misshapen. He twirls it in between his index finger and thumb and rolls his eyes fondly.

“Something like that.”

Twenty minutes later, it hits. Sirius insists on playing Portishead’s Dummy, and they’re halfway into “Sour Times” when Remus sits on the floor, leaning back on the edge of the couch and staring up at Sirius’s face from underneath. The chorus hits, and his chest wells as he watches Sirius’s mouth move as he speaks.

Sirius looks different from this angle—upside-down. It’s like staring at a reflection in a mirrored screen and seeing your movements in reverse, Remus decides. He blinks slowly and rights himself, disoriented by the change in perspective and suddenly dizzy. “Come down here,” he says, and Sirius titters as he slides down inch by inch until he’s on the floor as well.

A sudden squeeze alerts him that Sirius’s hand has fallen to his arm, and he feels the sensation seep slowly up his arm and into his chest. Without asking, he reaches out. His hand stops centimeters away from Sirius’s face, and the air in the room vanishes. Tentatively, Sirius stretches and arm and runs his fingers through Remus’s hair, nails scraping against his scalp.

A small gasp escapes Remus’s lips as his eyes flutter shut. A thrill runs down his back, and he instinctively moves closer. His hand drops to Sirius’s shirt—an open flannel—and he tugs at one end to pull him closer. Remus giggles as he runs his hand, fingers splayed, up Remus’s shirt. The sensation overwhelms him, and when his fingers first brush against Sirius’s collar and neck, he jolts and pulls his hand back.

“Fuck it’s been a while since I’ve rolled like this,” Remus says, and he twirls a strand of Sirius’s hair around his finger.

“In a good way, I hope,” Sirius says, and his voices jars Remus to look up. He feels like he’s never noticed how long Sirius’s eyelashes are, although he’s sure he must have at some point. After a moment, his eyes flicker down to Sirius’s lips, slightly red and puffy, and he whimpers. His thumb runs up along Sirius’s jaw, and over, until—carefully, with the pad of his thumb—he grazes Sirius’s lower lip.

Sirius’s lips part, and the tip of Remus’s thumb lip slips in. The beat drops in "It Could Be Sweet", and Remus feels it vibrate through the floor into him.

“In a good way,” he breathes, and Sirius whines.

“Remus…” His voice trembles, and although he doesn’t stop Remus, it’s enough to give Remus pause. The touch of Sirius’s skin against his makes his skin buzz, and he chews the inside of his cheek and drops his hand.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

And then Sirius is leaning in. He kisses him, hard and needy, and Remus melts against him. When Sirius tilts his head and cups his cheek, it sparks through him. His fingers tighten against Sirius’s shirt as he deepens the kiss. He holds on tightly, knuckles white, terrified to let go, and Sirius must sense his desperation. Their eyes meet, and any doubt slips away with the room until all he can feel is Sirius here against him—his.

Sirius’s hand slips under his shirt, palm flat on Remus’s stomach. When Sirius slides his hand further up, Remus jerks, overwhelmed by the sensation of Sirius’s skin against his and the roughness of the pads of his fingers. The music pounds through him, and he tugs Sirius with all the strength they can muster until Sirius is on top of him.

Remus’s rolls his hips forward, and he can’t help but smirk when he’s met with a moan against his lips. But Sirius pulls back, and though he makes no move to stand up, a glimmer of something Remus can’t quite place flashes in his eyes.

“I want to,” Sirius says, “but I’m not going to wake up tomorrow to learn you think this was a high mistake.”

“It’s not,” Remus says, and his lips jut out slightly as he tries to concentrate on looking as straight-faced as possible.

“I don’t think it is either, but I am somewhere in the stars right now, and I think you are too.” With that, Sirius pulls himself off and moves himself back on the couch. The sudden lack of weight against him hits him hard, and Remus reels. It takes him a moment to collect himself, and when he stands up, he moves towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water for each of them.

“Okay.” He doesn’t know what else to say. “Did you not want to?” he asks when he hands Sirius his glass. Only when the water hits his lips does Remus realize how dry his mouth is. His head spins, and he sits down next to Sirius on the couch and folds his legs under him, though his knee bumps against Sirius’s.

Sirius’s eyes drop down to that, and he gently settles his hand on Remus’s knee. “I cannot tell you how much I want to.” His fingers tighten around Remus’s knee before he jerks his hand away and takes a shaky breath. “I need to be able to trust that we’re both clear-headed before we do something we can’t take back.”

Any protests die on his lips, and he nods and deflates. “Can we still kiss?” he asks.

Sirius considers for a few seconds, but the hand on Remus’s waist, pulling him forward gives him all the answer he needs.

- - -

Lily and James decide to keep the reception small—just among friends, but Lily insists that Remus be her best man. “Why should only James get one of them?” she asks. “Haven’t we moved past any of this gendered nonsense?”

They get their TiMERS removed ahead of time and use the metal from them as the base for their wedding bands. Despite his best efforts, Remus tears up as they exchange their vows, and when he glances over, he can see the concentrated effort on Sirius’s face as well.

He doesn’t get a moment alone with Lily until they’ve finished with their meals, and she turns to Remus and beams. “So, you and Sirius?” She does little to mask her excitement.

“We’re here for your wedding, and you’re asking me about my relationship?” Remus rolls his eyes and pulls her into a hug. “I’m really happy for you, Lils.”

“I’m happy for me too,” she says, and she looks over at James.

“You didn’t do half-bad for yourself,” Remus teases and nudges her lightly. She laughs.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me the second you two got together,” she says and gives him a stern look. “I shouldn’t have to find out through an RSVP. That’s almost just as bad as finding out on Facebook.”

“You were busy with wedding planning. I didn’t want to distract you.”

“I could have used a distraction. I have never had to look at more tablecloths and cutlery in my life. If I had to say no to one more paisley print, I was sure I was going to lose my mind.”

“Well, it was clearly worth it in the end. I was a fan of those cute little dessert forks.”

“My mom chose those,” Lily says and reaches up, smoothing down a stray hair that had gotten displaced.

“They did scream Ms. Evans.” They reach a small lull, and Remus folds. “I should have told you. I think we just wanted it to ourselves for a while.”

“I’m not mad. I’m just happy for you. You know James and I called this back in second year?”

Before Remus can say anything else, Peter and his new girlfriend walk up to them. “Lily!” Peter exclaims and pulls her into a hug. Remus waves at her over their shoulders and goes to find Sirius.

He finds him on the dance floor with James, shimmying to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. He waits to the side, hiding his smirk behind his hand until the song ends. His loud hoot gets Sirius’s attention, and Sirius winks at him before walking over.

“Why don’t I ever get to see those moves?” Remus teases and presses a kiss to his cheek.

“They’re only for special occasions.” His eyes rake down Remus’s frame, and Remus feels his cheeks heat up. “You should wear a suit more often.”

“Is it doing something for you?” He means it as a joke, but Sirius’s gaze darkens, and Remus falters. “Oh.”

Sirius leans in and presses his lips to Remus’s ear as he whispers, “There’s a single stall bathroom on the first floor.” Remus stands, frozen to the spot, and Sirius walks past him and disappears into the crowd. He’s certain that the pink of his cheeks must give them away, but when he tries to discretely look around, no one seems to notice.

There a handful of people waiting outside of the room where the reception is being held, but the first floor is empty. His dress shoes click against the tile of the floor and echo down the halls. It takes him a minute to find the room Sirius had mentioned, and the second he knocks, it opens.

“What would you have done if I was someone else?” Remus asks.

Sirius shrugs. “Stepped outside and waited for you to come down.”

“What if I didn’t?”

“You’re here. Isn’t that answer enough?” A devious smirk spread across Sirius’s face, and he locks the door behind them and pushes Remus up against the wall. His hand traces the hem of Remus’s blazer until it reaches just above the buckle of his belt. “Look at you, all put together,” he says, his lips mere centimeters from Remus’s.

“You’re one to talk.” Remus tries to make a move for Sirius’s waist, but Sirius grabs his wrists and pins them to either side of his head. It’s enough to make Remus’s head spin, and he leans back and lets Sirius take control. Any pretense of cockiness drops, and he stares at Sirius taking short, shallow breaths.

“The things I want to do to you.” Remus wants to ask, but Sirius presses his lips to his neck just where the collar of Remus’s blazer stops, and Remus whimpers instead and tries to resist the urge to roll his hips forward. He kisses his way up and pauses just behind Remus’s ear. “We’ll see just how put together you look when I’m done with you.”

He run the tip of his tongue along the edge of Remus’s ear, and Remus buckles in his arms. When one of Sirius’s hands drops to his belt buckle and pulls it open, Remus squirms. He takes his time moving up Remus’s jaw, and when Remus is certain he has nowhere to go but his lips, Sirius lifts his other hand and presses his thumb into Remus’s mouth, parting his lips.

“You look pretty like this,” Sirius says and slips a hand down and wraps his fingers around Remus’s cock. This thumb runs over the tip, and Remus jerks. The bemused, calculated look in Sirius’s face sends a shiver up his spins, and when Sirius drops his hand and kisses him, Remus closes his eyes.

Sirius runs his hand down and back up the length of Remus’s cock once and deepens the kiss. He stills again, and Remus opens his eyes again and frowns, frustrated. He knows better than to ask considering the look on Sirius’s face. Sirius raises an eyebrow, impressed at Remus’s restraint.

When Sirius drops to his knees and looks up at him, his hand twitches towards Sirius’s hair, but Sirius swats it away. “If I have a single hair out of place by the time I’m done, you’ll regret it later.” He smirks, and Remus bites his cheek, desperate to take him up on the challenge. But he doesn’t. He stills his hand instead and braces himself against the wall when Sirius’s mouth wraps around the head of his cock.

Sirius makes quick work. He takes Remus down far until his nose is pressed into Remus’s skin and his eyes aren’t visible, and Remus tightens his jaw trying not to thrust his hips forward. The pace he first sets is infuriatingly slow, and he meets Remus’s gaze when he runs his tongue along the underside of his cock and over the head, pressing his tongue down slightly at the tip.

Remus comes with a breathy whine, nails digging into the palms of his hands, but Sirius continues until he’s oversensitive and jerks. When he pulls back, Sirius wipes his lower lip with the back of his left hand and stands.

“Can I make you come?” Remus asks.

“Later,” Sirius says. Any protest that begins to bubble up is immediately quashed when Sirius cups Remus over his pants. “Oh Remus, you should know by now that I know how to slip things in our suitcase when you aren’t looking. We’ll make full use of our hotel room tonight. I can wait.” With that, Sirius drops his hand over to the sink. When he’s finished washing his hands, he walks past Remus, brushing shoulders, and out of the bathroom.

The door closes behind him, and Remus shuffles over to the and does his best to smooth out the fabric of his suit. He does his best to calm himself down with several long breaths before straightening his back and stepping out.

He almost feels guilty that he can hardly wait for the reception to be over.

- - -

Remus paces across the apartment, anxiously tidying up the space. “Are you really sure you want to try to spend Christmas with Regulus and his wife?” he asks. “You said he’d invited your parents as well. What if they come?”

Sirius runs a hand through his hair. His brow furrows as he follows Remus with his eyes, and Remus does his best to ignore the look of concern on Sirius’s face. “Can you sit down?” he asks, and Remus ignores him, frustrated that he’s changing the topic. “Remus, if we’re going to have this conversation, can we at least have it face-to-face?”

Sirius stands and moves over to the blanket Remus is folding by their couch. He places his arms on Remus’s shoulders, and Remus stills and collapses against him. “I don’t like this.”

“I know. You’ve made that clear.” Sirius pulls the blanket out from Remus’s hands and finishes folding it himself before setting it down. “But it isn’t your call to make. Reg is allowed to invite whoever he wants. I know what I could be getting myself into, but I want to try to figure out some sort of relationship with him. Part of that is accepting the first olive branch he’s given me since we were eighteen.”

“You’ve been so careful not to see them for eight years,” Remus says. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Then you can go to Lily and James’s Christmas party, and I’ll go to my brother’s. That way, you won’t have to see it,” Sirius snaps. The regret floods his face immediately, but Remus tenses and shakes his head, trying his best to swallow the flash of anger that comes with it.

It doesn’t work. “So, you want to spend Christmas without me?” he asks, his voice bitter. “You can just say it if that’s what you want.” He intends for the accusation to hurt, and it does. Sirius takes a step back, and his shoulders turn slightly inward as he tightens his jaw and looks at Remus.

“That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it! Why do you hold me at arm’s length?” Sirius yells. “You always act like I’m halfway out the door, but that’s not me. That’s you. I’m right here.”

“Because in a few years your TiMER is going to go off, and then you won’t be, and we won’t be spending Christmas together anymore.” The room falls quiet after he speaks, and Remus’s chest gets tighter until he’s not sure he can recall how to breathe anymore.

After a minute, Sirius sits down on the couch, and he motions for Remus to sit next to him. Remus shakes his head, but when Sirius looks up pleadingly, he folds.

“I have to tell you something, and you have to promise not to be mad,” Sirius says, staring down at the floor. Remus wants to tell him that it’s too late for that, but he doesn’t. He says nothing instead, and after a moment, Sirius continues, his voice unsteady.

“When I was fourteen, I fell in love with a guy. His TiMER was set to go off when we were sixteen, but we vowed we wouldn’t let us stop us. It feels really dumb looking back now because you hear that sort of a thing, and you just know how it’s going to end. I mean, we were fourteen for fuck’s sake.” Although Sirius rolls his eyes and tries his best to look as if he’s telling nothing more than a casual story, his eyes seem to water. Before Remus can get a good look, however, Sirius’s hair slips past his ear and hides his face.

“Anyway, his TiMER went off, and he told me that he was sorry, but blah, blah, blah. Had to be with his soulmate. And I lost it. I found a sketchy place that would do it, and I got my TiMER taken out.”

Remus inhales sharply, and when he closes his eyes, all he can hear is the sound of his heart beating hard against his chest. “But your wrist? You have a TiMER.”

“It’s a fake. I got it put in before I started at uni. I didn’t want anyone to ask any questions. I was eighteen. Ten years seemed like far enough away that I didn’t really think about it when they told me to pick a date.”

The world goes still, and Remus’s skin feels oddly cold. Before he can stop himself, he reaches out and turns Sirius by the shoulder. “When did you take it off?” he asks.

“I was sixteen.”

“What month?”

“August. Remus, seriously, what’s going on?”

A high-pitched ringing fills his ears as his eyes move from the TiMER on Sirius’s wrist to the scar on his own. “August 6th?” he asks, his voice small enough that he’s worried that Sirius doesn’t hear.

“What?”

“Was it—”

“How did you know?” His face contorts after a moment, and he stands up and takes a step back. “Did James tell you?”

The room spins around them, but Remus shakes his head wildly and stands up too. “I didn’t take off my TiMER to make a statement. My TiMER went blank when I was sixteen—on August 6th. I assumed my soulmate died. I took it off before I went to uni because I was tired of everyone pitying me.”

He watches as the words settle, and the anger vanishes from Sirius’s face and his jaw goes slack. “Oh.” Just as quickly, something else starts behind his eyes, and he points a finger at Remus. “I knew it. Fucking hell. I knew it.”

“Huh?"

“New Years. I asked you about your TiMER. I had this feeling that it was you, but then—”

“I remember. I was going to tell you the truth, and then those two guys came up, and I didn’t.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Sirius says.

“You didn’t tell me either.”

They stand for a moment, transfixed and unsure, on the precipice of the truth, too afraid to say it, as if speaking will undo it. As the weight of the implication strikes him, it strikes Remus that certainty is no less terrifying. The shaky breath he releases, as quiet as it is, fills the space between them and disrupts the stillness.

“So we’re—” Remus can’t bring himself to say the words, and he starts to shake as his eyes burn.

Sirius steps forward, arms wrapping Remus until it’s all he feels, warm and familiar. “We’re not here because of that. We’re here despite it. I chose you, Remus. Life didn’t choose you for me.”

He feels himself fall loose in Sirius’s arms as he starts to cry. His body trembles, and he lets himself, for the first time, put his full weight against Sirius, trusting him to keep him from falling. He gasps for breath against him and weeps until the shirt pressed against his face is wet.

When he finally pulls back, Sirius cups Remus’s cheek and brushes his thumb under both eyes, wiping away tears. “I chose you too—you know,” Remus says, his voice hoarse.

“I know,” Sirius says, and when he kisses him, Remus doesn’t think about a number on Sirius’s wrist. Instead, he focuses on the feel of Sirius’s lips on his and the touch of his thumb as it brushes against his cheek and settles on a spot behind his ear. For the first time, the future doesn’t matter to Remus Lupin. Everything he needs is in the present.

#wolfstar #sirius black #remus lupin #harry potter #hp #my wolfstar #my fics

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vkiflo · 4 years ago

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" One Touch " A Sakusa Kiyoomi x Reader Part 1

( Warnings: Fluff , Abuse , R@pe , Self Harm , Bullies ) I wanna be like you, I wanna say that I can I wanna be the person that you think that I am 君のようなひとになりたいな「僕らしいひと」になりたいな " (Y/N), Wake up, Its time for school. " My eyes fluttered open, Immediately closing them due to the sun. Dammit. I woke up once again. Time to go through with another day, Though, I call it hell. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - " Mama! Look! Its a flower! " You Stated out of breath. " Oh my! (Y/N), That's a rare Kiku flower ! Where did you find it ? " Your mother said surprised. " *panting* I-Its up that *Cough* H-Hill !!! " Your mother patted you back while you spoke. Grabbing her hand you ran up the hill, Forcing your mother to run with you. Running up the hill you both saw grass, Flooded with Kiku flowers. " I-Its so pretty !! Oh my god !! Lets bring some back for your dad ! " Your mom stated almost brought to tears. " Okay !! " You said smiling brighter than the sun. " Ahh, That's it ! The prettiest bouquet !! Your dad will love it !! " Your mom said while patting your head. " Lets head back, Okay ? " Ahaha !! Okay mommy !! " You said smiling. You both walked back down the hill towards your house, Holding hands at that. Opening the door to your shared home, Your dad, Cooking dinner happily. " Hey honey " He said kissing mommy's forehead. " Ohh whats this beautiful batch of flowers ?! " Your dad said kneeling down to you patting your head, Then smelling the flowers. " Its for you daddy !! " Your shoved it slightly out into his hands while giving him your signature smile. He took them happily and shed a tear. " Thank you so much (Y/N) ! O-Oh !! These are Kiku flowers !! Very rare ! Where did you find them !? " You laughed a bit and said " Its up the hill !! You should come with us one day to see them !! All of them are super duper pretty !! " You said smiling. " Okay ! We'll go tomorrow afternoon, For now, Lets go eat lunch !! " That tomorrow afternoon ? Never happened. Why? Your blood birth mother. Was killed. After that, Your dad became depressed. He cried every night. You'd try to comfort him. But he kept pushing you away. You soon became lonely. No one to talk to. No one to play with. No one to smile to. So. You formed the exact same thing you dad had. At the time you didn't know what it was called. But you didn't like it.

Your dad soon started the desire to get his frustration out by hitting things, and that thing. Was you. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Looking around my room, Looking for my uniform, I spotted him. My dad. Oh how much i hated him for how much torture he put me through. I got up and said good morning to my dad. He walked out to get back to bed, I mean.. Its 5 AM. Since he doesn't drive me to school, i walk. If want to, I can just go and do it. But then would that really be me? 望むならそうすりゃいいけどさ ; でもそれってほんとにぼくなのかい Arriving to school, I plastered a smile across my face, Though, It was fake. Oh look. Its Fumihiro Sato. The biggest bully of our school. Itachiyama High School. Walking past him i tried not to get seen. Unsuccessful, As always. " (Y/N) !! Not gonna say good morning ?? Whats wrong with you !? " He said waving his hand in the air with his hand in his pocket. Not wanting to communicate, I ran, Terrified he would catch me. He started running after me, Not even being able to get into the school, He tripped me and grabbed me throat. " What happened to greeting your friends ? Huh ? " He said tightening his grip on my throat, Then slapping my cheek. Hard. " Hey. Get out of my way. " A boy stated seeming pissed. He wore a mask with a disgusted face. Fumihiro, For some reason, Moved out of the way. Dragging me along with him. I started choking, Hard. Though no one cared. But- He did ?? " And also,, Get your filthy hands off of her. Now. " The boy with curly hair wore a sadistic death glare towards Fumihiro. And would you look at that. He got off me and walked off, Sulking. I guess Fumihiro has a new target. Though I doubt he could ever beat him. The boy that helped me walked off into the school without another word. I ran into the school as well not wanting Fumihiro to come back after me when he was out of our view. I tried looking after him to thank him. But he was gone. I had about an hour before school started, So I decided to go sleep in the classroom until the bell rang, which it would wake me up. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One child's-play dream. The way I am, someone like me is better off dead. 子供騙しな夢一つこんな僕なら死ねばいいのにT **bell ring** 'crap... Its time for school' * yawn * " Good Morning class. Before we start our lesson on Environmental Science, We have a new student joining us." I don't really pay attention to new students or people in general, But when i heard his voice, I recognized him and looked up. Oh, Its him. The kind guy who saved me. Or... That one time he was being kind... " Sakusa Kiyoomi. " He said plainly. The teacher waited a solid ten seconds thinking he would say more. Yeah no. He was done. " O-Oh !! I guess that was it ? O-Okay ! Sit in front of the girl with the (H/C)... " She went up to him to whisper something, I already know it was about me. But... He,, Moved away ? And walked towards his seat, leaving the teacher dumbfound. He walked up to his seat and grabbed some paper towels.. And wiped his seat and desk. Then he put on hand sanitizer. School ended and I headed to my club, Volleyball manager at the Highschool Itachiyama Volleyball Club. I was told we were getting a new member so i hurried to see who it was. These were really my only friends. Well... Sort of. I don't open up to them much because i feel if i do, they'll betray me after knowing the truth, And then act just like Fumihiro. I really do not want that to happen. So i'll just keep suffering alone. Just how its always been. " (Y/N) !! Cmon in ! We have a new member as we told everyone, Could you go wash his uniform and add his name onto a jacket ? " Motoya said while hitting a spike to the other side of the net. I nodded and got to work. Maybe about an hour later, We head the gym door open and i knew who it was, The new member. I grabbed the uniform and jacket and rushed to greet him. H-Hey- Isn't that the guy whose in all of my classes !? Welp, Doesn't really matter much. " Hey Sakusa I didnt know you were the one who would be joining !! Guys ! This is Sakusa Kiyoomi, My cousin !! " I walked up to him and gave him his clean uniform. And ran off to go set for others. Where someone like me being alive brings sadness to tens of thousands of people こんな僕が生きてるだけで何万人のひとが悲しんで " Dad, Im home. " I said forcing myself. " Oh ! (Y/N),, "

#sakusa kiyoomi haikyuu x reader sakusa x reader haikyuuimagines haikyuu x reader sakusa kiyoomi moyota volleyball fanfic

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cromulentbookreview · 4 years ago

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I See What You Did There

What’s two plus two?

Huh? What? What’s happening?

What’s two plus two?

Oh, shit, right, I have a book review blog, don’t I? I mean, things have been a bit hectic these past few months and I’m also trying to be a real writer...

What’s two plus two?

Yeah, you’re right, I shouldn’t neglect my tumblr, even if nobody reads it. And come on, computer, it’s not like I’ve been in a coma for four years, two plus two is clearly five and we all love Big Brother, OK? Gah.

Uhhh...And by that, I mean: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir!

Dr. Ryland Grace wakes up in a spaceship with no memory of how or why he’s there. He’s a junior high school science teacher, what the hell is he doing on a spaceship? Also, the other two astronauts are dead. Like, really dead. So far as how things are going for Dr. Grace right now, I’ll let Pete Campbell give you a hint:

Slowly, veeeery slowly, Grace’s memory starts to come back to him: he’s on a mission to save the Earth. There’s this nasty space bacteria-thingy called Astrophage that’s dimming the light of Mr. Burns’s archnemesis: the Sun.

There’s a lot of science involved, but Weir explains, in great detail, just how Astrophage dims the Sun and why that’s really, really, really, really bad for the Earth. Like, apocalyptic-bad. Billions will die bad. Famine, disease, war, rocks fall, everyone dies and freezes to death bad. Only not right away. Over the course of several years. So everyone will die, but they’ll get to do it real slowly.

Yay?

Like so, but it ends with everybody dead and the Earth being rendered uninhabitable. All of Grace’s wee little students will grow up watching their Earth slowly die. Unless Project Hail Mary finds a solution. And there seems to be a solution out there - Tau Ceti seems to be the only star not infected with Astrophage. Why? How? What? So this all powerful woman called Stratt, who has been given authority by just about everyone (how? Reasons. Don’t ask questions) yanks Grace out of his classroom - first to study Astrophage, and then, somehow, he can’t remember exactly, roped him into going on a dozen-light-year journey to Tau Ceti with the crew of the Hail Mary.

Only the rest of the crew is dead. Something went wrong while they were in a coma during their four-year space voyage. Grace is alone.

Inside the Hail Mary.

Full of a dude called Grace.

I see what you did there, Weir. Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there. I mean, you don’t even have to be Catholic to see what you did there.

Anyway, long-winded flashbacks and lots of science ensues. I struggled with the first quarter of the book - not for any particular reason other than I started reading this book in the latter half of 2020 and I was having a hell of a time concentrating on...well, everything. Remember 2020? Yeah, it wasn’t great. I mean, I’d need a lot of “not great, Bob!” gifs to describe just how bad those last few months of 2020 were.

And then I thought 2021 would be better. Ahahaha we barely made it six days. Seriously, everything is terrible and how do I even concentrate on a dumb book blog let alone a book all about science and the Earth slowly dying because the sun is dimming and -

Soon enough, however, Grace spots something on the Hail Mary’s radar. It’s...another spaceship? All the way out by Tau Ceti? At first, Grace thinks maybe its another ship from Earth, like a backup plan, that’d make sense, right? Only it’s not.

Who could it be?

Aliens?

Yeah, it’s aliens.

Our friend Grace gets to be the dude to make first contact with the sentient, spider-like creatures of the first planet in the system 40 Eridani. Turns out 40 Eridani is also infected with Astrophage, which is causing all sorts of problems for the Eridians, and their ship just happened to be around Tau Ceti at the exact same time as the Hail Mary. Crazy, right? Anyway, after the initial first contact and the long, drawn-out process of learning to communicate with one another (with no help from Amy Adams or Jeremy Renner), Grace and the lone Eridian, whom Grace christens Rocky, team up to save their respective worlds.

Science and plenty of flashbacks ensue.

I’m not a scientist - well, I have a master’s degree in library and information science, which, I guess, is a science? I mean, uh...I could tell you where all the sciency books are in the library. 500s if you’re using Dewey, and if you’re using Library of Congress, it will depend on what you’re looking for - you’ll want to start with Q for general sciences, QA for math books, QB and QC for astronomy and physics, QE, GC, GB, QC, TN for earth sciences, QD, TN, TP, and TR for chemical sciences, GE and bits of GF, QE, QH, QC, and TD for environmental sciences, QH, QK, QL, QM, QP, and QR for life sciences, QA75-76.9, TK5101-TK6720, TK7800-TK7895, and Q334-Q390 for computer sciences, telecommunication and artificial intelligence, Q, R, S, and T for the history of sciences and if you’re looking for bibliographies and finding aids for topics in the sciences, look under Z.

You know. Science.

OK, so I may not be a scientist. I may be bad at math because numbers somehow magically switch themselves around on paper whenever I look at them. Why? Because my brain sucks, that’s why. I may have spent most of my chemistry classes reading YA books under my desk (worth it!). I may have only passed high school physics by cheating off a girl younger than I was, but hey, the joke was on me: my high school physics teacher wasn’t even qualified to teach physics.

Gotta love rural public schools.

My point is, while the science may be lost on me and my brain which is full mostly of Simpsons quotes rather than actual knowledge, I do loves me a fun story where Science (with a capital S) saves the day. And, make no mistake, this book is fun. You might get a bit bogged down by the science, but once you get past it, this is a highly enjoyable story of one dangerously unqualified guy desperately trying to save the world with his new BFF, alien spider guy who speaks in musical notes. It’s up to them and them alone. Good luck, guys! Don’t forget that billions upon billions of lives depend on you. No pressure.

Seriously, if you loved The Martian, you’ll love Project Hail Mary. They’re similar, but Hail Mary is on a much larger scale than The Martian - there’s a lot more at stake in the hands of one guy. Plus: aliens!

Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say I would have loved more from the ending. I would’ve loved an epilogue from some of the other character’s perspectives or something. I mean, I could even go with a sequel! Maybe something where Erid and Earth are finally able to communicate? There’s a lot of potential for short stories or novellas set in the same world as Project Hail Mary - there’s got to be bonus material there and I want it. More, please? That’d be nice. I’d definitely read it. So... Hop to it, Weir!

One last complaint: Grace doesn’t swear. Like, at all. Meanwhile, Mark Watney is over here like

Come on, Grace, would it kill you to say “fuck” or “shit” every now and again? I mean, I sipped coffee that was too hot and let out a bunch of words that’d make a 19th century whaler blush. Geez.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of The Martian, science-y people, people who enjoy a heavy dose of science in their sci-fi, people who just want a fun story

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: People with no mind for science, people who are against fun, anyone who doesn’t like sci-fi, aliens, fun, etc.

RATING: 4/5

ALIEN RATING:

RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021 (HEY! Don’t think I didn’t see what you did there, too, Ballantine Books!)

ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR SPINOFFS / SEQUELS / BONUS MATERIAL OF ANY KIND: Olympus Mons.

DID I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE?

#project hail mary #andy weir #fiction #book review #science fiction #hard science fiction #sff #sci-fi #tau ceti #rocky #adrian #hail mary #ryland grace #apocalyptic fiction #first contact #aliens #global dimming #astrophage

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gerberbabey · 4 years ago

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debut | one | pope heyward w/ filipina!reader

the idea of the pogues in a high school setting is actual so fun so i kinda got carried away. i rlly hav a thing for writing the character pining for the reader rather than the other way around.

im basing this off of how my high school was cus idk shit about any other high schools lmao. also excuse volleyball terminology, i also very much miss volleyball

masterlist | previous | next

warnings: cursing, like terrible writing, just filler stuff

one - ♫ I THINK by Tyler, The Creator ♫

It was already two weeks into your senior year and you were settling in nicely. At two weeks people were still switching around their classes making sure they wouldn’t regret the class they decided to settle into. You were satisfied with your schedule considering you only had 3 actual academic classes.

For your last year you’d opted out of taking one least year of math or another year of science. You were a good student sure but you’d never been the best at maths or sciences. To the Pogues’ surprise Pope had a similar schedule, yet the only reason he wasn’t packed with AP classes was because he was signed up for dual enrollment with online college courses.

“Dual enrollment helps clear GEs better than AP classes. I’m not saying I wouldn’t pass those AP tests but this way is easier,” Pope explained to JJ as they walked through the crowded halls of Kildare County High. Kooks and Pogues alike littered the hallways, separated in their own little groups and yet standing amongst one another.

“Whatever you say Pope,” JJ shook his head. He and Pope had one class together this year and that was Intro to Drawing in the very beginning of the day.

“Heeeey guys,” Kie greeted as she walked up to them, hiking her bag up her shoulder. Kie had opted out of a backpack this last year and had instead started using a tote bag which was only filled with her laptop, a single notebook, her pencil case, and other small personal belongings that had nothing to do with school.

“You guys going to the game on Friday?” Kie questioned and Pope cringed as JJ groaned.

“No Kie, we are not going to the football game this Friday-”

“Guys come one, first game of the season! Plus the environmental club is planning to work snack bar. All the money goes toward the Turtle Habitats and the Save the Ocean Foundation,” Kie plead.

“As much as I love the turtles Kie,” the group stopped at Pope’s locker, “Our football team is garbage. Why would I subject myself to that?”

“Ok I know that, but don’t go for the team,” Kie raised her eyebrows at the two of them, “Go for the turtles!”

JJ shot her an “eeeh” sort of look and Kie huffed in annoyance.

“Come on, if you could give me a whole other way to fundraise then please do,” Kie crossed her arms as Pope shuffled around the belongings in his locker.

“You need help fundraising Kie?”

The three teens turned in the direction of your voice and you grinned as you walked up to them, your teammate and other best friend Isabelle walking with you. Isabelle was tall, one of the tallest girls at school actually, and though they saw you two together frequently it was still kind of amusing to see one of the tallest people they new walking around with one of the shortest people they knew.

“Yeah well, my club’s planning to do the football game snack bar but nobody goes to the game’s anyway so,” Kie shrugged.

“You could fundraise at the volleyball game,” Isabelle suggested giving Kie a smile. Kie smiled back sheepishly as she shifted on her spot.

“Are you serious?” she questioned, turning to you and you shrugged.

“Well, why not? Wouldn’t hurt to ask our coach,” you stated and Kie watched as Pope closed his locker and turned as your hands reached up to fix the collar of the button up he’d worn over his t-shirt.

“We have a game tomorrow, and then there’s a workshop on Saturday. If your club wants to try and fundraise during those, we can try and figure something out,” Isabelle spoke to Kie and Kie flushed for a moment before she nodded frantically and began talking over a few ideas that were already coming to mind.

“And people are guaranteed to show up to the girls volleyball games,” JJ wiggled his eyebrows at you and Pope and you laughed as Pope reached up to whack JJ in the chest. You couldn’t help but note how weird JJ looked without one of his usual hats on. You figured it was because the teachers lost their minds over hats being worn inside the building.

“So (Y/N),” Pope started and you and JJ looked at him.

“So Pope?” you smiled and missed how JJ glanced between the two of you with a knowing look in his eye.

“Am I gonna see your dress anytime soon?” Pope questioned and you rolled your eyes.

“Pope I literally already told you that no one’s allowed to see it until my party,” you leaned against Pope as he shook his head.

“But I’m not just anyone,” he insisted and you laughed as the first bell of the day rang overhead.

“Ok whatever dude,” you shoved at Pope and he playfully slapped at your arms, “Me and Isa have to go, I’ll see you guys later,” you bid and you gave Pope a hug and a kiss on the cheek before you waved goodbye to JJ and Kie. The three of them watched you two join the sea of students and JJ turned to Kie and Pope.

“Was I seriously just fifth wheeling?” he scoffed and Pope glared at him as Kie flushed at his insinuation.

__________

“Ok can I just get like...the color? Oh my-you never even told me the color!” Pope stared at you with wide eyes and you shook your head as you covered your mouth to try and keep your laugh from coming out. The two of you were in your second to last class of the day (You were both TA’s for the Intro to Film teacher and that usually meant goofing around in the back as the class watched movies all day), and Pope had not let the topic of your dress drop.

In fact he had asked you about it for the past three weeks.

“I can’t ruin it,” you whined and Pope leaned forward and groaned into your shoulder.

“Telling me the color won’t ruin it,” he mumbled and you reached up to rub his back.

“Yes it will,” you whispered back playfully and Pope groaned again as you laughed, “Oh by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you...”

Pope sat up and motioned for you to continue.

“I don’t need to have an escort or anything, but I was actually wondering if you’d like to be my escort? For my party?” you weren’t sure why you were so nervous but you couldn’t get yourself to look Pope in the eye. You watched as your fingers played with the end of his shirt.

“(Y/N).”

You looked up at Pope through your lashes and he flashed you a wide grin.

“I would literally be honored,” Pope pulled you into a tight hug before pulling back, “Also I would’ve been extremely offended if you didn’t ask me and I probably would’ve just been your escort anyway.”

You laughed and quickly brought a hand up to cover it up as a few of the students in the room shot the two of you looks.

“I wouldn’t even go through with the party without you,” you told him softly and Pope could feel his heart skip a beat. Sometimes he wondered what it would’ve been like if he had gathered up the courage to ask you out ages ago. Despite the bullshit he told his friends he knew that he was in love with you. He would always love you, but being in love with you was different. It meant so much more.

“So that means I get to know the color of your dress right?” Pope whispered and your mouth dropped open in shock as a wide grin stretched across his face. You tried to stop yourself from smiling as you reached up to whack him on the shoulder.

“No!” you whisper-yelled.

“But how am I gonna coordinate with you-”

“Drop it Pope,” you laughed as the bell rang to indicate the end of class.

________

“Where’s Kie?” John B questioned as JJ and Pope walked up to him. Today was the first girl’s volleyball game of the year and they had planned on going to watch together. They only really did it out of support toward you but that obviously didn’t stop JJ from his usual flirting.

“Her club’s doing snack bar or something, to help fundraise for turtles. Did she not tell you?” Pope asked as they walked into the gym together. There was music playing through the gym’s speakers and there was chatter and noise from every point. There was the sound of shoes squeaking against the gym floor and the sounds of volleyballs coming into contact with the floor, hands, the walls, etc.

“Nah, I didn’t see her that much yesterday or even today.”

“Yeah, where the hell were you anyway?” JJ questioned as he led the way up the bleachers. It was definitely crowded but the boys weren’t at all surprised, Kildare County High’s volleyball team was actually good, meaning they usually garnered a large audience of spectators.

“I was at the counselor’s like all day trying to figure out how I’m gonna get enough credits to graduate,” John B sighed and JJ and Pope cringed. After John B’s dad disappeared in their sophomore year, the boy had taken a half a step back from his academic responsibilities to try and keep himself together and afloat. Then after Big John’s body was found at the beginning of their Junior year, John B had considered dropping out entirely. He missed a majority of that school year as a result of his grief, deciding that he felt there was no point for school any longer.

Yet with the surprising help of Sheriff Peterkin he had pushed himself back into finishing school. The school understood of course, but that didn’t mean it didn’t take a toll on his academic record.

“I’m sure it’ll work out in the end,” Pope encouraged and JJ nodded, before the blonde clapped and looked around, eager to get John B’s mind off the matter.

“Oh shit look there’s Quincy,” JJ pointed out and the trio made their way over the where a large group of other Pogues who had gathered up on one side of the bleachers. While some schools may have had senior sections or something of the like, their gym was separated by Kooks, Pogues, parents, and then any visitors from the opposing school.

“Hey JJ what’s up man?”

JJ dapped up Quincy and the two of them began talking about something or another as John B and Pope were greeted by the people around them.

“Yeah (Y/N)!!” someone near them yelled, “You dig those balls!”

The three boys turned to the court and watched as you shook your head and laughed but kept your focus on the court. You squatted down low once more and they watched as you warmed up, passing dimes for your setter to set.

“Woooh (Y/N)!” JJ’s hands were cupped around his mouth as he yelled.

“Yeeeahhh!” John B yelled and was followed up by the student section of their gym, Pogues and Kooks alike, cheering for their team despite it only being in warm ups.

Soon enough people had settled into the bleachers as the Varsity game came to a start. (Pope, JJ, and John B had yelled their hearts out at your introduction - “Number 10, Libero: (Y/N) (Y/L/N)!”. And JJ had pointed out where Kie was bustling over at the snack bar, charming people into buying whatever she pointed out to them).

“Oh shit hey, I’m gonna go say hi to (Y/N)’s parents. I totally forgot,” Pope told his friends and the two nodded, waving him off. Pope mumbled “excuse me’s” as he maneuvered his way by people’s legs and tried not to knee anybody in the back of the head. He jogged down the steps of the bleacher and made his way to where the parents were all situated, watching the game intently. There was a bout of cheering and Pope glanced over to the court to watch you jump up in excitement as your team scored another point.

“Hey Pope!” Pope looked up at that and smiled as your mom waved him over to where she was sitting with your dad.

“Hi!” he greeted, and leaned over as your mom stretched her arms up to give him a hug in greeting.

“Your parents not here tonight?” your dad questioned and Pope shook his head.

“Nah they couldn’t leave the store. They really wanted to come though. (Y/N)’s last first game and all.”

“Ah well that’s alright, plenty of games after this one.”

“Of course. Uh Mrs. (Y/L/N) how’s the party planning?” your mom rolled her eyes though he could tell there was no ill intent.

“Stressful. All (Y/N) focused on was her dress and her guest list. Finding a place to even have the party was almost impossible,” your mom explained and Pope chuckled.

“(Y/N) won’t even let me know what the dress looks like,” Pope told them and your mom laughed as your dad nodded.

“She’s hid it from her dad too.”

“Won’t be able to see it ‘till the party,” your dad shook his head at that as Pope let out a surprised chuckle.

“You ate that (Y/N)!” someone yelled and Pope and your parents glanced over at the game and watched you get picked up by Isabelle as your team cheered over winning the first set of the match.

“Well I’m gonna head back to my friends,” Pope pointed over to where John B and JJ were sitting, now with the addition of Kie.

“Of course, of course. We’ll be seeing you at our house later?” your mom teased and Pope shrugged as he laughed.

He waved your parents goodbye and by the time he’d gotten back to his friends Kildare was already ahead in the second set.

“Not working anymore Kie?” Pope questioned as he took a seat beside her leaving her between him and JJ.

“Yeah we made shifts so it’s Marco’s turn,” Kie explained pointing over to the snack bar.

“Was our volleyball team always this good?” JJ questioned and Pope scoffed.

“Yeah you were just too busy staring at their asses to watch them play,” he reached around Kie to shove at the blonde and JJ batted his arms away.

“Hey, you can’t exactly blame me!”

“Gross JJ,” Kie rolled her eyes and the boy looked at Kie with an offended look before turning to John B as if to say, ‘are you hearing this?’. John B only shook his head at his best friend. The 3 Pogues chuckled at JJ’s expense before they turned back to the game. It was your turn to serve now and as you waited for the referee to blow his whistle John B reached up and cupped his hands around his mouth.

“Do it for Pope, (Y/N)!!”

Pope whipped his head over to John B as the students around them “oooh’d!” some of them shoving at Pope playfully. From the court he missed how you glanced up at where they were sitting, a grin on your face as the referee finally blew the whistle to let you serve.

“Shut up John B!” Pope hissed and the brunette only laughed it off as Kie mentioned how Pope should’ve been used to this by now and JJ yelled.

“For Poooope!!!!” JJ yelled as you served the ball.

The Kildare supporters all cheered as you aced your serve and Pope flushed in embarrassment as you turned and pointed to him, riling up the crowd of students as those closest to him shoved at him once more.

“Yes King!” someone yelled at Pope and he couldn’t help but grin as he pointed back at you.

#Outer Banks #outer banks fic #outer banks x reader #outer banks imagine #pope x reader #pope heyward #pope heyward x reader #poc!reader #filipina!reader #obx #obx fic #obx fanfiction #the pogues have a normal high school life au

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ohshit-itsyagorl · 4 years ago

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Four Dipshits and a Michelle

Part 7

Part 1, Writing Masterlist

Read on AO3 HERE

Summary: Michelle never believed in soulmates. But what happens when she turns seventeen and gets her mark? What happens when she inevitably finds the person with the matching tattoo? And what is she supposed to do with Peter Parker. Her best friend in the whole world. Her crush. Someone she feels drawn to for some inexplicable reason.

The next day was the first day of senior year, which meant Michelle had to get up at the ass-crack of dawn. She practically fell out of bed and trudged to the bathroom, dragging her feet with every step, and when she looked in the mirror, she cursed quietly under her breath. She looked like death. To be fair, she hadn’t gotten much sleep last night. A few hours after Spider-man left, Peter had decided to take a shower, and his mark had flared again. She couldn’t really blame him—he did a pretty good job controlling it for the most part, and to be fair, it still happened to her, too.

She brushed her teeth and ran her fingers through her hair, deciding she would just leave it loose today. Throwing her clothes on, she went out into the kitchen and made herself a bowl of cereal.

She greeted Betty and Cindy when she got to home room. Home rooms were split by gender: girls in some rooms, boys in others, so there was never a chance that Peter or Ned would be in her home room. Thankfully, that also meant that there was no chance that Flash would be in her home room either.

Ms. Winninski handed out schedules to all the students, and MJ looked down at hers.

“What classes are you guys taking?” Cindy asked. She was already opening her messages to the group chat, furiously typing away under her desk as phones were not permitted in home room.

“Creative writing—I think Ned is in that class,” Betty said, blushing furiously. “AP Calculus is second period, which will be rough, but then I have theatre, so at least there’s a break. I opted to take dance/health instead of gym/health, and then I have lunch—god, I really don’t want to eat cafeteria food for the next nine months. After lunch I have French, then AP environmental science—oof, those are on opposite sides of the building—and I finish off with AP Econ.” She looked up from her schedule.

Cindy rattled off her schedule next. Then, they were both looking at MJ expectantly.

“Peter and I have AP Chemistry first period.” MJ looked up to find Betty waggling her eyebrows. “Shut up,” she said. “Then I have AP Calc with you and Cindy. AP great books, gym/health—I usually just read in that class anyway—then lunch, Spanish, art, and AP Psych.”

Cindy looked up from her phone and gave the report: “We actually have a few classes with Ned and Peter this year, not just PCB like in years past.”

MJ wanted to look and see but it was too risky with Ms. Winninski prowling around the classroom answering questions and confiscating phones. She sighed and pulled out her sketchbook.

Home room ended a few minutes later and soon Michelle was off to AP chemistry. She smiled at Peter when she saw him, then she remembered what he had done last night and her face reddened.

They sat down at the same lab table and sat in awkward silence, each not really sure what to say to the other.

On days like this, when they were just a bit out of sync, MJ just wanted everything to go back to normal.

Normal—what was normal these days? Michelle wasn’t really sure she knew anymore.

That entire day was exactly like every other first day of school, with teachers taking attendance, going over the syllabus, playing name games (seriously, they weren’t in kindergarten anymore), and every teacher assigning the same getting-to-know-you packet for homework, which meant that MJ had to talk about herself seven times.

She guessed that part was normal, but everything else? She was part of the 0.02% of the population that had a true mate, she knew who he was, he didn’t know who she was, she loved him, he didn’t love her, they both had this annoying habit of getting aroused at the worst times, and neither of them could shower in peace ever again.

When she got home, she quietly opened the door in case her mom was sleeping in the sitting room. The light filtered in through the windows in a way that basked the room in a golden glow, she thought maybe she would paint it sometime.

Her mom was, in fact, asleep on the couch. MJ tiptoed past and flopped onto her bed. She groaned thinking about all the homework she had—none of it even remotely knowledge-related. She knew she should get started, but she really didn’t want to.

She pulled her bag toward herself anyway.

——————————————————————

Two hours later, Michelle was done with all the getting-to-know-you questionnaires and was perusing her bookshelf. She had quite a few new books checked out from the library, she just didn’t know which one she wanted to read next.

Tap tap tap.

Her head whipped toward the window. There was a masked face hanging upside down outside, red hand tapping on the glass.

MJ rolled her eyes, walking over to the window and opening the latch. She heaved the frame up enough for Spider-man to crawl in and drop onto the floor in a crouch. He stood up. “Fancy seeing you here, Michelle.”

“Hmm, I wonder why that would be,” she quipped. “What do you want this time?” She went back to looking at her bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines until she grabbed one randomly.

“I read The Assistant,” he blurted, reaching a hand up to run his fingers through hair that wasn’t there.

Michelle raised her eyebrows. “What did you think?” She hadn’t much liked the book, to be perfectly honest, only reading it because it was a critically acclaimed story about a jewish deli.

Spider-man shrugged. “I don’t know. It was okay, I guess. I had a really hard time getting behind Frank. There isn’t a sequel, but if there was I don’t think I would read it.”

She looked at him. “You’re a superhero.”

There was a long pause. “…Uh, yeah?”

“And a high schooler.”

“That is also true,” he said tilting his head to the side. “Are we making observations now? Because if we are, that shirt looks good on you.”

MJ rolled her eyes. He was either a shameless flirt in general or the mask made him cocky. Either way, she wasn’t interested. She thought of the way Peter’s cheeks dimpled when he smiled—no, she was definitely not interested. “How do you have time to get through these books when you’re always off saving people—helping the little guy, or whatever the fuck you call it.”

He shrugged. “I read them between ‘helping the little guy’” he said, waving his arms dramatically. “On rooftops and billboards and stuff. Or at school when I’m bored.”

She hummed. “Well, I need to choose another book. Want to help?”

He nodded vigorously, and practically tripped over himself trying to get to where she stood by the bookshelf. For a superhero, he wasn’t very graceful. She smiled to herself, shaking her head, and turned to look at the pile of new books again.

He pointed at a thick, grey one and said, “This one looks cool.” MJ pulled it from the shelf and read the title Six of Crows followed by the description on the back. His white eyes narrowed at her. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a fantasy reader.”

“Yeah, I’m trying to branch out a bit,” she muttered, cheeks glowing red. She didn’t know why she was embarrassed—she had no reason to be embarrassed—but something about him threw her off. For some reason, she wanted to impress him, and somehow reading a young adult fantasy novel, highly rated or not, seemed like a weak choice after A Secret History or The Assistant.

His eyes followed the blush down to the top of her chest, then flicked back up to her face, which only made her flush more deeply. “Sounds like a great read,” was all he said. “I’ll check it out from the library.”

She looked down at her bare feet, flexing her toes against the soft carpet. When she looked back up, Spider-man was looking around her room. “Nice room. Lots of books.”

She felt herself flush again. God, what was going on with her today? “Yeah, it’s my safe space. You know, I don’t actually let anyone in here—you’re the first person besides my mom or me to set foot in here in years." There was a long pause, then, "What does your room look like?”

“Oh, you know,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “just another normal room. Bed, desk, closet, bathroom—the works.”

“What side of the bed do you sleep on?” Michelle asked. She didn’t know what made her say it, but for some reason she wanted to know—maybe it was a way to make him seem more human, less… other.

“The left, why?” He glanced over to her bed which she realized, somewhat belatedly, wasn’t made and had a lacy bra strewn across it.

“No reason,” she muttered. Then, “I sleep on the left too. So does my best friend, but when I sleep over I kick him to the right side.” She chuckled. “His side of the bed smells like him.”

Spider-man coughed, and rocked onto the heels of his feet. He tilted his head to the side. “I have to go,” he said, moving to raise the window again. He slipped out and crawled out of sight.

MJ looked at her bed again, at that black lace bra, and cursed under her breath.

#spideychelle #spiderman #peter parker #peter x michelle #Peter Parker fanfiction #Peter Parker soulmate #soulmate #soulmarks #fluff #angst #best friends #Smut #eventual smut #michelle jones #Four dipshits and a Michelle

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tw-anchor · 5 years ago

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01. Lycanthropy

Anchor

Stiles Stilinski x Original Character (Reader)

Episode: 1x01; Wolf Moon

Word Count: 7,177

Warning(s): Mature language, dead body

Author’s Note: Welcome to the first chapter of Anchor. I hope you enjoy this rewrite of Teen Wolf and my original character, Olivia. Reblog and like!

Masterlist in Profile Description

Olivia shuffled around in her closet, trying to find the perfect scarf that went along with her outfit. Today was the first day back to school after winter break and, according to Lydia, they had to look better than any of the other girls that went to their school. Personally, Olivia didn’t see the big deal in trying to stay at the top of the social food chain at Beacon High, but she definitely didn’t want to upset her cousin. So, she quickly grabbed a plaid scarf and walked out of her closet, setting it on her bed to put on after she styled her hair.

She had already curled her brunette locks into waves and was wrapping the scarf around her neck when Lydia walked into her room, hardly bothering to knock on the door.

“You’re going with the green puffer vest?” Lydia asked, disapproval heavy in her voice.

Olivia fluffed her curls so they laid nicely against her vest. “I like it.”

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Normally it would be fine, but it’s the first day back, Liv,” she sighed. “How are you going to keep your spot on top if you’re wearing something so simple?”

“Frankly, Lyds, I couldn’t care less about the people we hang out with, except for Danny and Jackson,” Olivia confessed, slinging her leather satchel over her shoulders while making sure she had everything she needed for a day at school. She turned her cobalt-blue eyes to her cousin. “And I know you don’t, either.”

“I’m not dignifying that with a response,” Lydia huffed, whipping around to leave Olivia’s bedroom. “Let’s go.”

By the time they were both sliding into Lydia’s Beetle, their little argument was over.

“What classes are you taking this semester?” Olivia asked as Lydia pulled out of their driveway and started toward the high school.

“The usual,” Lydia shrugged. “Unfortunately, Mandarin was full, so I settled with Latin.”

Olivia knew her cousin was a genius but she wondered if Lydia ever got exhausted trying to learn as much as she could. Olivia did—she usually grew tired of school around the end of each semester—but Lydia kept going and going. It made sense, though, Lydia loved to be smarter than everyone around her.

“What about you?”

Olivia cleared her throat, suddenly self-conscious about the classes she was taking. “I got into Calculus,” she said quietly. “World History II, Chem…Advanced Spanish.”

“Advanced Spanish?” Lydia looked away from the road for a brief second to make sure she heard Olivia right. “I thought you only had to do two classes for Spanish. Why didn’t you choose a different language?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia shrugged.

The truth was, Olivia simply wanted to keep taking Spanish classes. When her cousins, Derek and Laura, checked in on her over winter break, they mentioned that their family was fluent in Spanish. Olivia wasn’t quite at that level yet and she wanted to make that side of her family proud, even if most of them were dead. She had a duty to the Hale name, even if she didn’t use it.

Lydia hummed at Olivia’s response, looking like she didn’t quite approve. “You should take Latin next year, then.”

Olivia stared out her window, mentally praising the fact that they had arrived at school. She loved Lydia but she acted like an overbearing mother sometimes. “Sure.”

Lydia parked in the empty spot that no one dared to leave their car, and they both exited the vehicle. After checking her phone, Lydia turned to Olivia, “Jackson and Danny are already in the building.”

“Let’s go then.”

Stiles paced impatiently, his feet moving his body back-and-forth over two squares of sidewalk in front of the school, as he waited for Scott. His best friend had sent him a concerning message when he woke up, and Stiles was eager to see the injury Scott had sustained.

The night before, Stiles’ dad, Sheriff Noah Stilinski, had gotten a call and—of course—Stiles overheard what it was about. He was eager for an adventure and half a dead body in the preserve seemed like something worthwhile. Needing his partner in crime, Stiles retrieved Scott from his house and they both set out to the preserve.

All was going well until they came upon police officers and their cadaver dogs. While Scott hid, Stiles was caught by his father and forced to go home, leaving Scott all by himself. According to Scott’s message, he was almost trampled by a herd of deer and bitten by some kind of animal.

Now, Scott was taking forever to get to school and Stiles was feeling guilty and a little excited.

Finally, Stiles saw Scott ride his bike through the parking lot to the bike rack. After confronting the school’s biggest jackass—Jackson Whittemore—Scott made his way over to Stiles.

“Finally!” Stiles exclaimed, waving his hands in exasperation. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Scott shrugged lightly. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Stiles.”

“Okay,” Stiles quickly moved on, bouncing. “Let’s see this thing.”

Scott sighed quietly and shrugged his backpack off his shoulders, lifting his gray t-shirt to show Stiles the piece of gauze he messily taped to his side. Stiles raised his eyebrows and cooed, reaching out to touch the bandage.

Scott hissed and slapped his hand away.

“Okay, okay,” Stiles went back to clutching the straps of his backpack while Scott pulled his shirt back down. “So, what bit you?”

Scott shrugged his backpack on and started walking up the sidewalk to school. “It was too dark to see much but I’m pretty sure it was a wolf.”

Stiles raised his eyebrows in disbelief and followed him. “A wolf bit you?”

Scott nodded.

Shaking his head, Stiles shot down Scott’s claim, “No, not a chance.”

“I heard a wolf howling.”

There was no way Scott was bitten by a wolf because Stiles knew no wolves were living in Beacon Hills—or California, for that matter. He knew way too much about the ecosystems of their home state thanks to the AP Environmental Science he took the year before.

“No, you didn’t,” Stiles insisted.

“What do you mean, no I didn’t?” Scott asked, becoming frustrated. “How do you know what I heard?”

Stiles scoffed and abruptly turned around, stopping Scott in his tracks. “Because California doesn’t have wolves, okay? Not in, like, sixty years.”

Scott was surprised. “Really?”

“Yes, really!” Stiles confirmed. “There are no wolves in California.”

“All right,” Scott shook his head, still maintaining that it was a wolf that bit him. He didn’t care what Stiles said. “Well, if you don’t believe me about the wolf then you’re definitely not gonna believe me when I tell you I found the body.”

Stiles flailed spastically, his shoulders shrugging sharply as he reached out to grab Scott’s shoulders. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he asked excitedly.

“No, man, I wish. I’m gonna have nightmares for a month,” Scott shuddered, not wanting to think about the gruesome sight he witnessed the night before.

Stiles laughed in disbelief. “Oh, God, that is so fucking awesome!” he cheered. “I mean this is seriously gonna be the best thing that’s happened to this town since—”

He trailed off, his attention being pulled by the two girls walking up the sidewalk to head into school, chatting quietly together.

“—since the birth of Olivia Martin!” he declared as the girl of his dreams walked past him with her cousin at her side. “Hey, Olivia, you look…like you’re gonna ignore me.”

Stiles swore that it may have been the luckiest day of his life because, as she passed him, Olivia sent him a small smile before giving her attention back to Lydia.

“Oh, my God,” he breathed, almost swooning, as he watched Olivia walk into the school. He turned back to Scott, who was just as shocked. “Did that just happen?”

“Yeah, Olivia Martin just smiled at you,” Scott grinned as the first bell of the morning went off.

Stiles jumped happily, ignoring the annoyed looks of the students around him. “This is the best day ever.”

Scott chuckled and rolled his eyes as he and Stiles went with the herd of students, walking into school. They separated to go to their lockers and then met back up to head to their shared AP English class that Scott somehow tested into.

As they walked into Mr. Thomas’ classroom, Stiles stopped in his tracks, making Scott bump into his back. There, in the aisle closest to the wall of windows, was Olivia Martin.

Seeing that there was only one more seat left in the aisle and it was right behind Olivia, Stiles rushed to the seat, almost pushing another guy out of the way. He almost knocked the desk over as he slid into the seat but he righted himself, chuckling nervously when Scott rolled his eyes at him.

He could have pinched himself, though, because seconds after he sat down, Scott sat in the empty seat right next to Olivia.

At least I’m close to her, he thought to himself.

“As you all know,” Mr. Thomas spoke from the front of the classroom, a dry-erase marker held firmly in his hand as he wrote on the board. “there indeed was a body found in the woods last night.”

Scott turned to look at Stiles with raised eyebrows; Stiles winked at him, chuckling under his breath.

“And I am sure your eager little minds are coming up with various macabre scenarios as to what happened,” Mr. Thomas continued. “but I am here to tell you that the police have a suspect in custody—”

Stiles shook his head at Scott’s curious look. As far as he was aware—and he was—his dad hadn’t brought in a suspect.

“—which means you can give your undivided attention to the syllabus which is on your desk,” Mr. Thomas capped his marker and turned around, picking up a pack of papers that had previously been laying on his desk. “outlining this semester.”

Most of the students groaned in contempt but obediently set to read their syllabus to see what their teacher had in store to them.

Out of the corner of Stiles’ eye, he saw Scott frantically looking around the room but he ignored him for the moment, reaching up to tap Olivia on her vest-covered shoulder.

Olivia turned around and Stiles paused, forgetting what he was going to ask her when his whiskey-colored eyes met her cobalt-blue ones.

Olivia raised an impatient eyebrow, prompting Stiles to speak.

“Oh, um, do you have a pen I can borrow?” he asked quietly, his voice shaking slightly.

A ladies man, he was not.

Olivia’s eyes swept his face, her lips quirking slightly, and fell on his desk where a black pen was already waiting to be used.

“R-Right,” Stiles could have punched himself. He was such an idiot. “It doesn’t work anymore. That’s—that’s why I’m asking you for a pen. Yeah.”

Olivia hummed amusement lighting up her face, and turned around, reaching for her satchel on the floor. She pulled out a blue pen and faced Stiles again, holding it out for him.

“There you go,” she said kindly. “You can keep it.”

“Oh, are you sure?” Stiles was kind of hoping she wanted it back so he could talk to her again. “I mean, I can give it back.”

“No, it’s fine,” she assured him. “Let’s hope this one works for you.”

Stiles chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, hopefully. Thanks, Olivia.”

“No problem, Stiles.”

As Olivia turned back around to read the rest of her syllabus, Stiles stared at the back of her head in shock. Olivia Martin knew his name? Olivia Martin knew who he was?

Like I said, he thought, best day ever.

Stiles shook his head to clear his thoughts and focused back on his syllabus just as the classroom door opened. The vice-principal walked into the room, a girl his age following him.

“Class, this is our new student, Allison Argent,” the vice-principal gestured to the girl who smiled shyly. “Please do your best to make her feel welcome.”

Allison walked to the side of the classroom where Stiles, Scott, and Olivia were sitting, taking the last empty seat behind Scott. Stiles nodded at her in greeting and watched as Scott handed her a pen with a smitten look on his face.

“Thanks,” Allison whispered with a smile.

Scott grinned and caught the eye of Stiles, rolling his eyes as his best friend gave him a thumb’s up.

Mr. Thomas cleared his throat. “We’ll begin with Kafka’s Metamorphosis on page one hundred and thirty-three.”

Ollie: We need to talk.

Olivia bit her lip as she texted Derek, hoping that he would have time for a phone call. He currently lived in New York but he was a couple of hours ahead of her, so she was pretty sure that he was done with work for the day.

She pressed her phone into her pocket, not expecting an answer right away, and focused back on the conversation she was having with Lydia.

“So, you’ve met the new girl?”

Lydia was talking about Allison Argent, the newest student of Beacon High. Olivia had her English class with Allison but she wasn’t exactly looking forward to meeting her. Her last name was Argent, after all.

The Argents were a notorious family that hunted supernatural creatures. Although Olivia wasn’t supernatural herself, her father was and that made her a target. Her mother was human, too, and look where she ended up. Killed just because she associated with someone who was a werewolf.

She didn’t know if Allison was a hunter like the rest of her family, but if she wasn’t and Olivia made friends with her, was it worth the risk? Did she want another target on her back?

“Not yet,” Olivia said finally, shaking her head.

Lydia hummed, looking down the hall where Allison was at her locker. “Well, I like her outfit. Let’s go talk to her.”

Olivia wanted to object but she knew that Lydia would talk to Allison anyway. She followed her cousin down the hall, knowing that she’d meet Allison sooner or later—especially if Lydia was so determined to talk to her.

“That jacket is absolutely killer,” Lydia announced their presence to Allison, who was looking down the hallway. Olivia followed her gaze, seeing that the new girl was staring in the direction of Stiles Stilinski and Scott McCall. “where’d you get it?”

“Thanks,” Allison smiled shyly. “My mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco.”

“And you are our new best friend,” Lydia declared, pointing slyly at her. “I’m Lydia and this is my cousin, Liv.”

Olivia wanted to grimace and scold Lydia for putting Allison’s attention on her, but she kept her face smooth and clear of emotion. She wasn’t one to put her emotions on her sleeve—other than her happiness—and if Allison was a hunter, she wanted to show no weaknesses.

“Hey,” she greeted Allison politely. “We have English together.”

Allison’s face lit up in realization and when she smiled, her dimples popped out. “Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you.”

Olivia nodded. “You too.”

Allison seemed sweet enough but there was no way that Olivia was going to let her guard down.

Jackson Whittemore, Lydia’s boyfriend and Olivia’s friend, came up to them then, pulling Lydia into a sloppy kiss. They were a big fan of PDA but to Olivia, their make-out sessions were nauseating.

Allison must have agreed; she grimaced and awkwardly looked away.

“I want to say you’ll get used to it, but…” Olivia shrugged, giving Allison a sympathetic look.

Allison blanched. “Oh.”

Eventually, Lydia and Jackson tore themselves away from each other and Lydia took that time to obsess over Allison’s outfit again. While the redhead was observing the taller brunette’s bracelet, Olivia felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Derek: I’m in town. When can you meet?

Olivia raised her eyebrows, shocked. She hadn’t known that Derek was back in town so soon after his visit. She wished that he had said something.

Ollie: Now. School’s over. Pick me up?

Derek: I’ll be there in five

Olivia sent him back a thumb’s up emoji just as Lydia mentioned Jackson’s party to Allison.

“So, this weekend, there’s a party.”

“A party?” Allison asked timidly.

Olivia could relate to Allison’s hesitation. She hated parties, especially ones thrown at their house where she couldn’t get away from the crowd of drunk teenagers.

“Yeah, it’s on Friday night,” Jackson confirmed. “You should come.”

“Uh, I can’t,” Allison shook her head apologetically. “It’s family night this Friday. Thanks for asking, though.”

“Are you sure?” Jackson prodded. “Everyone’s going after the scrimmage.”

“You mean like football?”

“I wish,” Olivia joked, playfully grinning at the annoyed look Jackson sent her. “Unfortunately, the football team’s a joke. The sport here is lacrosse.”

“We’ve won the state championship for the past three years,” Jackson boasted.

“Thanks to a certain team captain,” Lydia spoke up, grinning lovingly at her boyfriend.

Jackson smiled back at her before looking at Allison. “Well, we have practice in a few minutes. If you don’t have anything to do, maybe you can come.”

“Well, I was going to—”

“Perfect!” Lydia interrupted her brightly. “You’re coming.”

Reluctantly, Allison followed Olivia, Lydia, and Jackson down the hallway.

As they passed her locker, Olivia spoke up, “I’m gonna miss practice today,” she told her cousin. “I’m meeting up with Derek.”

Lydia raised her eyebrows. “He’s still in town?”

“Apparently,” Olivia shrugged. She patted Jackson on the shoulder and gave Allison a small smile. “Have a good practice, Jackson. It was nice to meet you, Allison.”

Allison smiled and waved at her while Jackson nodded. Olivia split off from the group and went to her locker, taking out her satchel and draping it around her shoulders.

Once she walked out to the parking lot, she was relieved to see Derek’s black Camaro parked where she could see it. She jogged over to the car and slid into the passenger seat.

“Why are you still in town?” she asked Derek as he pulled out of the parking lot, not even bothering to greet him.

Derek sighed heavily. “I did go back,” he told her. “But Laura stayed behind for a couple of days. She never came back.”

Olivia furrowed her eyebrows, worried and confused. “So, she’s missing?”

“She was.”

“What does that mean? Did you find her?”

Derek pursed his lips sadly and looked over at Olivia. “Laura’s dead.”

Olivia stared blankly at the body in front of her, her eyes stinging from the need to cry. She had already shed tears on the way to the old Hale house where Derek had stashed Laura’s body and she felt like she was being weak if she cried any more. She hated crying, especially in front of someone. Sure, Derek was her cousin but they were alike when it came to showing emotional weakness.

Laura’s body was cut in half, sliced cleanly down the middle. Her brown hair was matted against her dirty back, sticky with blood and debris. Her blue eyes were fogged over, cloudy with death.

It made Olivia sick to her stomach, especially when she realized that Laura was the body that Mr. Thomas and the rest of the town were talking about.

“Did the Argents do this?”

The Argent family was famous for cutting a werewolf’s body in half. Usually, though, the Argents didn’t bother supernatural creatures unless they were harming humans. Laura was a gentle soul, she believed in preserving the relationship between the supernatural and the humans that lived in Beacon Hills.

“Maybe,” Derek exhaled deeply, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he looked down at his sister. “But if they did kill her, I’d be the alpha.”

Olivia looked over at her cousin, watching as his eyes flashed their usual icy-blue, not the deep red of an alpha.

“So, another werewolf killed her,” Olivia concluded.

Derek nodded. “I found something near her,” he pulled something from his pocket, handing it over to Olivia. “Do you recognize the name?”

Olivia glared down at the inhaler in her hand, reading the dirty label. The name of Scott McCall was printed in black ink, along with an expiration date and some instructions.

What the hell was Scott McCall doing by Laura’s body?

“Yeah, I recognize it,” Olivia confirmed, handing the inhaler back to Derek. “I go to school with Scott,” she sighed deeply. “What are we gonna do, Der?”

“We’re gonna bury her,” Derek’s lips trembled before falling into a scowl. “And then I’m gonna catch whoever did this.”

Olivia nodded, knowing that Derek was justified in doing whatever he needed to do to avenge Laura.

It didn’t take long to bury Laura’s body, though Derek did have to stop a couple of times to maintain his composure. Olivia kept him company, holding his hand tightly through his grief, trying to silently show him that she was there for him.

Once Derek flattened out the soil on Laura’s grave, Olivia took the wolfsbane rope that Derek prepared to ward off any werewolves around and laid it down into a spiral, the Hale family’s sign for vengeance. She attached it nicely to a wolfsbane plant and buried a few feet away from where Laura was.

The two of them stood silently over Laura’s grave, mourning their cousin and sister.

“I don’t—I don’t know what it was,” Scott admitted as he and Stiles balanced on a large tree over the creek that trailed through the preserve, jumping onto solid ground. “It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball.”

Scott was referring to lacrosse tryouts where he was put in the goal by Coach Finstock. Though he had been practicing since the end of last season, Scott hardly ever spent time in the goal. Coach didn’t care, though.

Surprisingly, Scott pulled it off. He caught every ball—other than the first one, which hit him in the head—even Jackson’s. His playing amazed everyone, including himself.

“And that’s not the only weird thing,” Scott continued, his eyes on the ground in search of his missing inhaler. “I can hear stuff I shouldn’t be able to hear. I can smell things…”

“Smell things?” Stiles spoke up, skeptical. “Like what?”

Scott turned to him, both of them walking. “Like the spearmint gum in your pocket.”

Stiles cocked an eyebrow and stopped in his tracks, digging his hand into his jacket. “I don’t even have any spearmint—” he paused as he pulled out a stick of gum and looked at Scott, amazed. Scott shrugged in an I-told-you-so way.

The boys continued walking.

“So,” Stiles said thoughtfully. “All this started with a bite?”

“What if it’s like an infection?” Scott asked worriedly. “Like my body’s flooding with adrenaline before I go into shock or something?”

Stiles grinned sneakily, seeing an opening for a prank. He wasn’t sure that Scott knew what lycanthropy was but with him spouting about how a wolf bit him and his newfound abilities, it was the perfect joke.

“You know what, I actually think I’ve heard of this,” he said, catching Scott’s attention. “It’s a specific kind of infection.”

Scott stopped. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded, putting his hands on his hips. “Yeah, I think it’s called lycanthropy.”

Scott’s eyes widened. “What’s that? Is that bad?”

Stiles couldn’t believe his luck. “Oh, yeah, it’s the worst,” he tried to keep the amusement from his voice. “But only once a month.”

“Once a month?”

Stiles hummed in confirmation. “On the night of the full moon.”

He tilted his head back and howled, mimicking a wolf. When Scott shook his head in annoyance and pushed him, he broke into snickers.

“Hey,” he chuckled. “you’re the one who heard a wolf howling.”

Scott narrowed his eyes and started walking again. “There could be something seriously wrong with me.”

“I know, you’re a werewolf!” Stiles exclaimed before fake growling. Scott didn’t look amused. “Okay, obviously I’m kidding,” he conceded. “But if you see me in shop class trying to melt all the silver I can find, it’s because Friday’s a full moon.”

Scott shook his head, coming to a stop. “We don’t even have a shop class,” he sighed, looking around at the familiar area. “I could have sworn this was it. The deer came running, I dropped my inhaler, and then I saw the body.”

He crouched down, sifting through the dead leaves by his feet.

“Maybe the killer moved the body,” Stiles suggested, looking around.

“If he did, I hope he left my inhaler,” Scott joked, looking up at Stiles. “Those things are, like, eighty bucks.”

Stiles snickered and looked around again, his heart stuttering in shock when he saw Olivia Martin and some guy standing a few feet away. They came out of nowhere, serious looks on both of their faces.

He slapped Scott’s shoulder, getting his attention.

As Scott got to his feet, the guy stalked forward. Olivia stood in place, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What are you doing here?” the guy asked crossly.

Stiles rubbed his buzzcut, feeling awkward.

“Huh?” the guy prodded when they didn’t answer. “This is private property.”

“Uh, sorry, man, we didn’t know,” Stiles apologized, looking between him and Olivia.

They were close to the old Hale house so that probably explained why Olivia was out here. But if Olivia was with this guy so close to the dilapidated mansion, he figured that the guy was one of the other survivors of the fire. Stiles guessed that he was her cousin, Derek Hale.

“Yeah,” Scott added to Stiles’ excuse. “we were just looking for something, but forget—"

Derek Hale cut off Scott, pulling his hand out of his leather jacket and throwing whatever he had at Scott. Scott caught it without much thought, looking down at his inhaler in shock.

Stiles glanced from the inhaler back at Olivia and Derek, only to find that they were gone.

“Uh,” Scott shook his head and slipped his inhaler into his pocket, looking at Stiles. “All right, come on. I gotta get to work.”

Stiles looked at him in disbelief. “Dude, that was Derek Hale. You remember what happened, right?”

“That was Olivia’s cousin?”

“Yeah, he’s only a few years older than us,” Stiles confirmed.

“What happened?” Scott asked, not remembering the tragic deaths of the Hale family and many others.

“His family, Olivia’s mom...they all burned to death in a fire six years ago,” Stiles informed him.

“I wonder what he’s doing back.”

Stiles shook his head, shrugging. “Probably visiting Olivia,” he took his keys out of his pocket, twirling them around his index finger. “Come on.”

The rest of the week passed quickly and Stiles was going out of his mind. Scott continued to act weirdly; he outperformed everyone at lacrosse tryouts, he winced every time the school bell rang, and the morning before the party, he slept walked into the woods.

Stiles had already started researching what could be wrong with his best friend but when his dad got a call from the lab where the dead body was sent and they discovered that there was wolf hair on the body, he was mystified.

Was his joke from the other day not a joke? Could Scott possibly be a werewolf?

Stiles didn’t know how to approach the topic with Scott but when he flipped over a couple of players on the lacrosse field and still scored a goal, Stiles knew he needed to confront his best friend.

He spent the rest of the afternoon researching anything that involved werewolves. There was a bunch of nonsense from Harry Potter, Twilight and The Vampire Diaries but eventually, he found some promising websites that gave him helpful information. He printed off numerous pages of articles, ranging from the effects of silver and wolfsbane to the first Lycan folklore.

Stiles narrowed his eyes at the screen of his MacBook, reading through the last paragraph of the article about supernatural hunters. He jumped in shock and closed his computer when there were rapid knocks on his closed door.

Scott was here.

He jumped out of his desk chair and opened the door, relieved to see Scott on the other side.

“Get in,” he ushered his best friend into his room, speaking rapidly. “You gotta see this. I’ve been researching all afternoon. I found a bunch of information.”

Scott grinned at him, recognizing his jerky movements and quick words. “How much Adderall have you had today?”

“A lot,” Stiles admitted, sitting at his desk and grabbing some of the papers he printed. “Doesn’t matter, okay? Just listen.”

“Oh, is this about the body?” Scott asked, throwing his backpack on Stiles’ bed and taking a seat next to it. “Did they find out who did it?”

“No, they’re still questioning people, even Derek Hale,” Stiles said, turning his chair to face him.

“Oh, Olivia’s cousin?” Scott’s face lit up in recognition. “Maybe that’s why she’s been grumpy all week.”

Stiles shrugged, remembering the frown and passive glare that had been on Olivia’s face the past few days. “I don’t know,” he shook his head. “But that’s not it, okay?”

“What then?”

“Remember the joke from the other day? Not a joke anymore,” Stiles said seriously. As Scott shook his head, confused, he pursed his lips. “The wolf, the bite in the woods? I started doing all this research—”

He flipped the papers in his hands, searching for the information on the howl of a wolf, and stood up. “Do you even know why a wolf howls?”

Scott stared at him, wondering where Stiles was going with this. “Should I?”

“It’s a signal,” Stiles regurgitated the information from the papers he was holding. “When a wolf’s alone, it howls to signal its location to the rest of the pack. So, if you heard a wolf howling, that means others could have been nearby.”

Scott straightened in alarm. “A whole pack of wolves?”

“No,” Stiles corrected him. “Werewolves.”

Tension practically fizzled in the air as Scott gave Stiles an annoyed look and stood up from the bed.

“Are you seriously wasting my time with this?” he scoffed, narrowing his eyes as he picked up his backpack so he could leave. “You know I’m picking up Allison in an hour.”

Stiles stepped in front of him. “I saw you on the field today, Scott. What you did wasn’t just amazing, all right? It was impossible.”

“Yeah, so I made a good shot,” Scott shrugged, trying to get past Stiles.

Stiles stopped him again, taking the backpack from his hands and throwing it back onto the bed. “No, you made an incredible shot. I mean, the way you moved, your speed, your reflexes? People can’t just suddenly do that overnight.”

Scott sighed and bowed his head.

“And there’s the vision and the senses,” Stiles continued, his voice growing louder. “and don’t even think I don’t notice that you don’t need your inhaler anymore!”

“Okay!” Scott interrupted, fed up. “Dude, I can’t think about this now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?! What, no!” Stiles exclaimed, becoming panicked. “The full moon’s tonight. Don’t you get it?”

Scott’s chest puffed up as he grew irritated with his best friend. “What are you trying to do?” he asked Stiles harshly. “I just made the first line, I got a date with a girl who I can’t believe wants to go out with me, and everything in my life is somehow perfect. Why are you trying to ruin it?”

Stiles shook his head and sat in his chair. “I’m trying to help,” he reminded Scott. “You’re cursed, Scott. The moon won’t just cause you to physically change, okay? It also just happens to be when your bloodlust will be at its peak.”

Scott gritted his teeth. “Bloodlust?”

“Yeah, your urge to kill.”

“I’m already starting to feel an urge to kill, Stiles,” Scott sneered, glaring at him.

Stiles sucked in a sharp breath and turned to his desk, picking up another printed article. “You gotta hear this. ‘The change can be caused by anger or anything that raises your pulse.’ All right?” he finished reading and looked back at Scott. “I haven’t seen anyone raise your pulse like Allison does.”

Stiles stood up and walked purposely toward Scott’s backpack. “You gotta cancel this date,” he proclaimed, digging through Scott’s bag for his cell phone. “I’m gonna call her right now.”

Scott sighed heavily. “What are you doing?”

Stiles found the phone and stood up, preparing to message Allison. “I’m canceling your date.”

“No, give it to me!” Scott yelled, grabbing Stiles’ arm and forcefully pushing him into the wall by his desk.

He raised his fist, preparing to punch Stiles as his best friend squirmed, waiting for the blow. Scott’s fist shook severely as he turned away and shouted with rage, pushing away Stiles’ chair.

Stiles looked at Scott with wide eyes, trying to comprehend what had just happened. As Scott calmed down, he saw Stiles’ face, growing ashamed at the fear there.

He shuffled away from Stiles, grabbing his backpack. “I’m sorry,” he apologized sincerely, stepping toward the door. He looked back at Stiles once more, remorseful at the way his best friend stared at him. “I-I gotta go get ready for that party. I’m sorry.”

Stiles didn’t speak as Scott left the room. When his door shut firmly, he sighed heavily and knocked his head against his wall in frustration.

He was aggravated that Scott got violent with him, but if Scott was a werewolf, then he had to get over his irritation. Scott could hurt someone and if he was still going to Lydia’s party, Stiles had to be there in case something bad happened.

He huffed and bent down, picking up his chair that Scott had tossed away. Seeing the large scratches in the fake leather, he froze.

This was going to be a bad night.

Olivia leaned against the wall just inside her living room, her eyes warily searching the crowd of teenagers that were drinking cheap beer and dancing to the techno music that Danny provided. She was on the lookout for Scott McCall, hoping that he wasn’t going to show up.

When Derek told her that Scott was bitten and now a werewolf, she was shocked. She couldn’t believe that Scott—who was basically a nobody with really bad asthma—was going to turn into a raging monster on the nights of the full moon.

And the full moon was tonight, which was why she was actually participating in the party. Scott had asked Allison to go to the party with him and if he showed up, Olivia had to make sure he wouldn’t hurt anyone when the moon reached its peak.

She was just grateful that Derek was there, somewhere among her partying schoolmates. He’d be the only one who could stop Scott from acting out.

Olivia perked up when she saw Stiles Stilinski walk into the living room, his eyes searching the crowd much like she had been doing.

If anyone knew Scott, she thought, it’d be Stiles.

Olivia placed her red cup of soda on a nearby table and made her way over to Stiles, trying not to bump into anyone’s full cup.

“Stiles, right?” she asked him, loud enough to be heard over the music pumping through the many speakers around the house and backyard.

She knew his name, of course, but she didn’t want to intimidate him.

Stiles gaped at her, his whiskey eyes sweeping her up and down, taking in her red dress with cutouts around the waist and brown boots. “Yeah, I’m Stiles. You’re Olivia.”

“I know,” Olivia gave him a weird look. “Can we talk?”

“What?”

“Can we talk?”

“Sure!” Stiles nodded eagerly, a goofy grin—that Olivia had to admit was kind of cute—adorning his face. “Lead the way!”

Olivia took his sweaty hand and pulled him out of the living room, through the hallway, and into her aunt’s office, which was off-limits to party-goers. The walls weren’t exactly soundproof, but they could hear each other way better with the bonus of privacy.

“So, uh, what’d you want to talk about?” Stiles asked, awkwardly rubbing his buzzcut.

“Frankly, I want to talk about Scott,” Olivia said bluntly, missing the way Stiles frowned in disappointment.

“Uh, okay, but he’s here with Allison and he really likes her, so…”

“No, I don’t care about his relationship status,” Olivia shook her head, rolling her eyes. “I care about the fact that it’s a full moon tonight and he’s in a crowd full of people.”

Stiles gaped at her. “What, I—?” he shook his head, focusing. “How do you know about…?”

“About the fact that he’s a werewolf?” Olivia raised her eyebrows. Stiles nodded; she shrugged. “Derek told me.”

“Well, how does Derek know?”

“Because Derek’s a werewolf,” she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Are you fucking serious?” Stiles cursed under his breath. Of course Derek Hale was a fucking werewolf. Why wouldn’t he be?

What had he gotten himself into?

“Look, we don’t know you or Scott that well, but we want to help,” Olivia spoke up after letting Stiles absorb the new information. “Derek has experience with full moons, he can help Scott get through it.”

“Are you a werewolf?” Stiles asked, still trying to come to terms with everything.

“No,” Olivia shook her head. “My dad was but I’m not.”

“Oh,” Stiles nodded, scratching the back of his neck, his mind whirling a mile a minute. He paused, giving her a skeptical look. “Why should we trust you?”

“Like I said, Derek knows what Scott’s about to go through,” Olivia said patiently. “And, honestly, I don’t want Scott to rip into anyone out there. It’s not safe for anyone involved.”

Stiles nodded slowly; he and Scott didn’t exactly need to explicitly trust Derek but if he could help Scott with the full moon, what was the harm? They didn’t have anything to lose at the moment.

“Fine,” he agreed, hoping that Scott would too. “We should probably get out there before Scott and Allison show up.”

“I’m glad we agree,” Olivia smiled at him, opening the door and following him out of the room.

Stiles’ heart quickened as Olivia’s arm brushed against his as they walked back to the party, a brand-new song starting.

“You want a drink?” Olivia asked him loudly, gesturing toward the drink table.

Stiles nodded. “Sure!”

They hustled to the table and poured their drinks, both of them opting for a non-alcoholic beverage. Afterward, they walked around, trying to find Scott and Allison. When they found the couple dancing outside, they waited together to see what would happen.

It only took two songs for Scott to start transforming under the influence of the full moon. He stumbled away from Allison and into the house.

Stiles and Olivia approached him cautiously.

“Scott, you good?” Stiles asked him.

“Are you okay?” Olivia added worriedly before looking for a sign of her cousin.

Scott pushed past them, ignoring their questions, and stumbled out of the house, knocking into a couple of people.

Before Olivia and Stiles could follow Scott, Allison ran after him, calling out his name. As Scott ignored Allison, Olivia and Stiles followed her, coming out of the house just in time to see Derek offering Allison a ride.

“What’s your cousin doing?” Stiles asked Olivia, frustrated and a little panicked.

Olivia shook her head. “I don’t know. You go after Scott, I’ll talk to Derek.”

Stiles nodded and ran off, finding his jeep and driving away. Meanwhile, Olivia walked up to Allison and Derek.

“Hey,” she greeted them, trying to keep her nerves at bay. “Allison, are you leaving?”

“Uh, yeah,” Allison gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, I’m not feeling well.”

“I offered to give her a ride home,” Derek spoke up, giving Olivia a pointed look that Allison didn’t catch.

Olivia knew what he was doing and she wished he wouldn’t. She had already talked to Stiles and got him to trust them. If Stiles agreed to them helping Scott, she was sure that Scott would agree, too. This—what Derek was doing—was just going to piss them off.

However, she knew Derek. He wouldn’t back down.

Olivia hesitantly nodded and smiled at Allison. “Well, you’ll be safe with Derek. See you at school on Monday?”

Allison nodded with a small smile. “Yeah.”

“Feel better, Allison.”

Stiles huffed, silently cursing to himself as he continued to drive down the highway just outside of the preserve. He’d been searching for Scott all night and had yet to find him after he ran off to find Derek and Allison.

Of course, Stiles knew Allison was safe at home but he wondered if Scott knew that.

Really, he was pissed. Not at Scott but Derek and Olivia. Olivia had said that Derek was going to help Scott but instead Scott revealed that Derek was the one to bite Scott and kill the girl in the woods. He was inclined to trust his best friend more than some random guy and the girl he had been crushing on since the second grade.

So, what was Derek and Olivia’s plan? And why did Olivia approach him, giving him false promises?

Stiles narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of Scott up ahead, walking on the side of the road. He was shirtless and clutching his right arm, as though he was injured.

Stiles pulled up and stopped, letting him into the jeep.

“You okay?” he asked, pulling off his blazer to give to Scott to wear.

“Yeah,” Scott mumbled, pulling the blazer over him. He leaned his head against his door as Stiles started driving and sighed. “You know what I’m worried about?”

Stiles licked his lips and side-glanced Scott, annoyed. “If you say Allison, I’m gonna punch you in the nuts.”

“She probably hates me now,” Scott complained, ignoring what Stiles said.

Stiles groaned. “I doubt that,” he disagreed. “but you might want to come up with a pretty amazing apology…Or, you know, you could just tell her the truth and revel in the fact that you’re a fuckin’ werewolf!”

Scott looked at him tiredly, eyebrows raised high on his forehead.

“Okay, bad idea,” Stiles admitted sheepishly.

Scott sighed and laid his head back on his window.

“Hey, we’ll get through this,” Stiles comforted Scott, nudging his knee before returning his hand to the steering wheel. “Come on, if I have to, I’ll chain you up myself on full moon nights and feed you live mice. I had a boa once, I could do it.”

Scott chuckled, cheered up by his best friend’s goofiness. “Sure, if it comes to that.”

Stiles pumped his fist. “Yes!”

(Gif is not mine)

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